


'A Sneaking Suspicion'

by Katef



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-19 21:01:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14881133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katef/pseuds/Katef
Summary: When Dr Blair Sandburg is suspected of being involved in drug smuggling, investigating Sentinel Detective Jim Ellison discovers that there is far more to the young professor than he expected.





	1. Prompt - Suspect

**Author's Note:**

> A SenBingo story in 5 Chapters = 5 Prompts.  
> 1\. Suspect  
> 2\. Getting to Know You – (wild card)  
> 3\. Reunion  
> 4\. Power dynamics  
> 5\. Simple pleasure

**Chapter 1. Suspect.**   


**Hargrove Hall, Rainier University Campus:**  


The young man lay prone on the floor of his office, blood pooling slowly beneath his head from the deep laceration in his scalp. He was lying awkwardly, with one arm trapped beneath his body and the other hand stretched out and above shoulder level as if reaching vainly for succour. The gradually coagulating stickiness of his blood around the edges of the pool indicated that he had been lying there undiscovered for some time, and his slow return to consciousness was marked by a low moan of pain. The floor beneath his cheek felt deliciously cool, but was of only minor relief as the rest of his body kicked in all at once with a catalogue of aches, the worst of which radiated outwards from the back of his skull. Trying to breathe through the agony, his eyelids fluttered briefly, and one eye cracked open for a few seconds before slamming shut again. Even the weak Cascade sunshine streaming through the nearby window was too much for him to bear, and a few tears escaped the closed lids to trickle down his face and into his hair, to mix with the red liquid in which he lay. He tried weakly to free the trapped arm, but the effort was beyond him as a bolt of pure agony shot through his skull, and when his eyes flew open again in reaction, the segment of the room within his vision swooped and swayed sickeningly before he closed them again. It was no use. His muzzy brain worked well enough to tell him that there was no way he was going to be able to move by himself yet, so he told himself to be patient. Surely someone would come to look for him soon. Wouldn’t they? 

He had no idea how much longer he lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness, but eventually he thought he heard a voice. A young woman’s voice, and she sounded upset. 

“Oh, God! Dr Sandburg! Blair? Oh, my God! I’ll get help! Please be OK…!” and he heard no more as he let himself go, spiralling down again into the comforting darkness.  


\---------------------------------  


**Cascade Central PD, MCU bullpen:**  


“Jimbo, you look bloody terrible! Is there anything I can do?” Australian exchange officer Inspector Megan Connor kept her frequently strident voice toned down in deference to the pained expression on her colleague’s handsome face. “Dials slipping again, huh, mate? Do you need a boost?” 

Despite his obvious discomfort, the newly-arrived Sentinel Detective Jim Ellison offered her a small smile as he made for his desk. The pretty brunette usually irritated the crap out of him, but he appreciated her genuine desire to help. She had proven herself to be a damned good cop, and was also a low-level guide, hence her offer to help him settle his senses a little. Underneath her abrasive attitude, she had a heart of gold, and Jim ruefully recognised the fact. But although Jim was sorely tempted, she wasn’t _his_ guide. The one who could truly ground him and be his helpmeet, companion and backup. 

The guide he had tried to avoid finding for so long that it looked as if he had missed any chance he might have had, and would now have to go through life relying on medication and occasional offers from willing individuals like Megan. 

“No, thanks all the same, Megs,” he replied. “I’ll treat myself to a mug of that delicious break room coffee,” he continued sardonically, “and I’m allowed another dose of dampeners anyway. I’m nowhere near the recommended limit yet, so I should be good to go in a few.” 

“Well, if you’re sure, mate,” Megan responded, looking less than convinced. “The offer’s still there if you change your mind. Joel and I aren’t going anywhere for another hour or two.” 

Jim grinned again, even though the tight skin around his eyes and the lines bracketing his mouth bore testament to his pain. But his answer was interrupted by a familiar bellow issuing from his boss, Simon Banks’ office, so with a wry smirk and shrug, he turned to obey his captain’s summons. 

“Ellison! My office, now!” 

Even as he approached Banks’ door, Jim knew that his boss wasn’t alone, and even functioning well below par, his sense of smell identified the other individual scent as belonging to Tom Anders, one of the few Vice detectives he had any time for. During his stint in that department before he transferred to Major Crimes, Jim had grown to despise quite a few of the detectives with whom he had had to work for their bigotry and bad attitude, which was why he had been so keen to move out and up. Major Crimes boasted one of the best arrest and conviction records in the state, and it was a much sought-after honour to join the elite team’s ranks. Tom Anders, however, was a decent enough character and a pretty good detective himself, so it wasn’t any chore for Jim to assume a friendly grin as he knocked and opened the door at Simon’s gruff command. 

“Well, damn, Jim. You look terrible!” was the terse greeting he received as Simon’s discerning gaze raked him from head to foot. “I’m assuming that the senses are giving you grief, man. What are you doing about it?” 

The big captain’s concern was two-fold, as not only did he worry about his friend and subordinate’s health, but also about how it could impinge on his department. Even unguided, Jim was one of the strongest sentinels in the PD, and Major Crimes benefited from his excellent statistics. It was Simon’s constant worry that eventually Jim’s control would deteriorate so much despite the available meds that he would no longer be able to function in his role as detective. And that would be a huge loss to both his own department and the PD as a whole. 

Jim was well aware of Simon’s worries on both counts, and a wry smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he responded. “I’ll be OK, sir. I had a bit of trouble this morning at the scene of that attempted bank heist. Perps used some sort of spray – undoubtedly deliberately – which set me off, but they were already long gone by the time I got there. I guess they wanted to make sure that they covered their tracks as far as sentinel forensic detection was concerned.” 

“I heard that something of the sort had gone down, Jim, but didn’t realise you’d been affected so badly. After all, you came up with some evidence anyway, didn’t you? Captain Villiers from Robbery said that the perps were arrested an hour ago, thanks to you.” 

“Good to know, sir,” Jim said thoughtfully. “To tell the truth, I didn’t expect to be of any help after an episode like that, but the spray’s chemicals couldn’t quite mask the scent of brine and fish guts, so I guessed that they’d been in or near the disused fish-packing factory on Cannery Wharf. And there’s only one gang that we know of that haunts that area. Seems like I was right, then.” 

“And that’s what makes you such a treasure, Jim!” Simon responded with genuine admiration. “But there’s another case which Tom here and I’d hoped you’d be able to work on, if you’re able to. Do you think you’re up to it?” 

Seeing the hopeful expressions on both men’s faces, Jim sighed inwardly, knowing that he would give it his best shot. It simply wasn’t in him to try and duck out; even if he had what more enlightened folks would accept was a good excuse. Folks who actually understood what the positives and negatives of being a sentinel entailed, that was. And an unbonded one at that. So he pasted on a reasonably convincing smile and sat down in the chair Simon indicated, ruthlessly dialling down his wayward senses one by one until his ever-present headache subsided reluctantly to a low murmur. 

“I can only do my best, sir,” he offered, noting the relief in both men’s eyes. “Bring it on!” 

Tom Anders sat forward eagerly, meeting Jim’s inquisitive gaze. “Your best will be enough, I’m sure, Jim, but flattery aside, we really could do with your help. Even functioning at half-speed, your senses are better than most, and we need your lie-detecting skills as much as anything. This case has gone beyond a simple local drug smuggling issue, which is why I brought it to MCU. There’s a likely international connection, plus an assault victim added to the mix, and we need to be sure that he’s not involved. OK so far?” 

“Go on,” Jim replied, his interest piqued. “This wouldn’t be the attack over at Rainier campus last night, would it? I overheard a couple of your guys discussing it in the elevator just now.” 

“That’s the one, Jim. Sit back, and I’ll fill you in with what we know already,” and Tom opened the file in front of him. 

“Early this morning, a patrol unit and ambulance responded to a 911 call made by a student helper in the Anthropology Department in Hargrove Hall. Apparently she’d come in early to do some photocopying for her Professor, and she found him on the floor of his office. He’d been beaten fairly severely, and bludgeoned over the head with what looks like an old pot or vase of some sort. The forensics guys and the paramedics reckon that the attack took place around 2200 hours last night after the campus security guys’ last rounds, and that the poor sap had been lying there all night. Thing is, there were traces of white powder on the broken shards, and it turns out to be high quality cocaine. 

“So, what we need to know is what the victim knows about all this. Is he an innocent dupe who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or is he the victim of a partner who got greedy and wanted all the product for himself? He’s in Cascade General right now, under guard, and according to the latest bulletin, he should regain consciousness pretty soon now. It’s unlikely that they’ll let you do a proper interview just yet, even if he’s up to it, but anything you can get will help. It’ll be a great example of inter-departmental cooperation,” he added with a wicked chuckle, his eyes glinting with mirth. 

Jim huffed a laugh as he shook his head in fond exasperation. “You know, Tom, you always were full of BS. That’s what I always liked about you!” 

“I take it that it’s a ‘yes’, then?” the other man replied, nothing but honest amiability in his expression. 

“Yes it is, Tom. As long as Simon approves, that is. So, when do you want me to visit this guy? And what’s his name?” 

“As soon as you can, Jim. And his name is Dr Blair Sandburg. Apparently he’s a recently appointed Professor of Anthropology, but he’s been studying at Rainier like, forever. He’s only 26, so he must be some sort of brainiac uber-genius, I guess. And I’m thinking that he might well be more familiar with academia’s seamy side than most, if you see what I mean. And might well have been taking advantage of that knowledge.” 

“Could well be,” Jim mused. “Academic ivory towers aren’t immune from crime after all. OK, I’ll go over there straight after lunch. I’ll need to take a couple pills first, because the senses are being pretty contrary right now, but as soon as I feel competent, I’ll do it. Fair enough?” 

“Fair enough, Jim, and thanks. I appreciate it.” And with that, Tom stood up and held out his hand, offering Jim and Simon a smile and parting word before exiting the office. 

As the door closed behind him, Simon studied Jim carefully again. “Are you sure you’re up to this so soon, man? It really must have been some sensory spike to knock you back like this.” 

Jim grinned ruefully. “You could say that, Simon, but by now I’ve learned to deal with it. For now, at least. And as long as I can, you know I’ll keep giving it my best shot. This job means everything to me, and I’m in no hurry to leave.” 

“And I’m in no hurry to see you go, Jim. But I do worry about you, and not just as my tame pit bull!” he added with a wry grin. “I just wish you hadn’t been so obdurate on the topic of finding yourself a guide. You wouldn’t have any of this trouble if you’d gone to the mixers when you first came online. There must have been someone out there on the official Guide Register who’d have been compatible!” 

Jim’s expression hardened as a frown line appeared between his brows. It was an old argument, and one he didn’t care to revisit, especially as he was convinced that it was too late to do anything about it anyway. But he couldn’t bring himself to be outright rude to his oldest friend and captain, so he contained the angry rejoinder he would have liked to make. Instead, he rubbed his hand tiredly over his face before looking up again to meet Simon’s sympathetic gaze, his own face reflecting resignation and no little fatigue. “That’s as may be, Simon, but you know I had my reasons. And one of them was that I didn’t want some nagging guide in my home and under my feet all the time. You know I’m not the easiest person to get on with – just ask Caroline. We were much better as work colleagues than we ever were as man and wife, and I think we realised it almost as soon as we tied the knot. I still can’t believe that we stuck it out for over a year before she divorced me, and I’m well aware that it was mostly my fault.” Lt Caroline Plummer had been the head of the Forensics section before relocating to San Francisco after their marriage breakup, and represented Jim’s only attempt at a committed relationship. And in hindsight, he still couldn’t understand why he’d bothered. But that was water under the bridge now, so he shook off such stray, depressing thoughts and continued. 

“I know you don’t want to hear this again, Simon, but the fact remains that as a ‘late bloomer’ and an alpha sentinel at that, I need a particularly strong guide to deal with my sensory requirements. And guides with that sort of talent are as rare as hen’s teeth, so they get snapped up almost as soon as they test out as children. So even if I wanted one, I wouldn’t be able to find one, and that’s just the way it is.” 

Simon’s lips thinned in irritation at Jim’s words, although it wasn’t actually directed at his friend. It was true that they’d had the same discussion more than once, but he still couldn’t help but repeat himself at times like these. Just in case, even though he knew it was foolishly optimistic to expect any change in the situation. He truly did want what was best for Jim, and what was best for his department, which is why he cut Jim so much slack. Sentinel and guide pairs were generally respected and admired, but there were still plenty of people out there who had no idea of what the whole phenomenon entailed, and even he had trouble accepting everything Jim described. And he was one of the more tolerant departmental heads; a fact that Jim appreciated very much. After a long moment, he sighed deeply and shook his head, offering Jim a wry grin. 

“Sorry, Jim. I just have to try, you know? There’s nothing I’d like more than to hear you say you’ve found someone. Some understanding woman who’d be both talented enough to guide you and be able to recognise the good man in you. I just keep hoping, you know?” 

Jim’s grin was both amused and grateful as he snickered, “Who’s to say that it has to be a woman, Simon? Same sex couples are just as common and accepted these days as het pairings. And after all, not every pair goes for the whole sexual bonding route, even if it is the best option.” 

At Simon’s dark scowl and disconcerted humph, he laughed out loud before adding, “Sorry, Simon. That was just too easy! Look, I really appreciate your concern, but I’m still prepared to play it by ear. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, and if not, well, like I said, I’ll just have to live with it. 

“So, if that’s all, I’ll go take my meds like a good little boy, and get on over to Cascade General. See what this absent-minded professor can come up with.” 

Somewhat mollified, Simon waved a hand in dismissal. “OK, Jim. But keep me in the loop, you hear? I don’t want Vice taking undue advantage of my sentinel!”  


\------------------------------------  


**Later that afternoon, Cascade General Hospital:**  


Striding down the corridor, Jim stopped at the nurses’ station en route to the private room where his intended target lay, guarded by a uniformed officer. Identifying himself to the nurse on duty, he asked if there had been any change in Dr Sandburg’s condition. He was well aware that patient confidentiality meant that any information from this source would be very basic, but he needed to know at least if the young man had woken properly yet. Therefore, he assumed his most charming smile as he waited for the plainly flattered if weary-looking nurse to respond. 

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you much, Detective Ellison. I believe that Dr Sandburg has been in and out of consciousness for a while now, but I doubt if the Doctor will let you see him yet. I can always call him, if you want?” 

“That’s OK, Nurse Raymond,” Jim replied, glancing at her ID badge. “I believe that the doctor will already have been informed that Dr Sandburg is both a possible witness to and the victim of a serious crime, which is why his room cannot be left unguarded. And as an investigating officer, I shall need to be allowed access to the patient for his own protection.” 

The nurse looked uncertain for a moment, but then nodded reluctantly. “All right, Detective. You can visit with Dr Sandburg, but please don’t try and question him yet. I’ll advise Doctor Digliss that you’re here.” 

With a word of thanks, Jim made his way quickly to the private room before she could change her mind, entering with a nod of greeting to the cop on duty. “Hey, Murphy. How’s it going? Has he woken yet, do you know?” 

The placid, middle-aged patrolman grinned affably, saying, “Hey, Detective Ellison. Might’ve guessed they’d ask you to check this one out,” he added knowingly. “If he’s involved in any way, I guess you’ll be the best person to find out. But seriously, he has been in and out for the past couple of hours, and it seems to me that he’s getting more alert each time. But that’s only my opinion of course. What do I know?” 

“Thanks, Murphy. If you want to take a break for a few, I’ll sit in with him. You never know, he might wake up enough to tell me something soon.” 

With a grateful grin, Murphy rose to his feet, stretching luxuriously as he moved to the door. “Thanks, Detective. I’ll take you up on that and go and get me some coffee. Do you want any?” 

“Not right now, thanks all the same. Take your time,” and Jim dismissed all thoughts of Murphy as soon as the cop closed the door behind him, his entire focus on the small figure in the bed in front of him. 

The first thing Jim noted was the young man’s enticing personal scent, which beckoned to him despite the overlay of medication and antiseptic. It was woodsy – a tang of cedar blending with fresh forest scents reminiscent of the hiking trails Jim loved to explore on his days off. Hearing was next, drawn to the rhythmic thrumming of the young man’s heartbeat, and Jim found himself taking a further slow step towards the bed, enthralled by what his senses were trying to tell him. Sight carefully catalogued every detail as he greedily studied the man from head to foot as much as possible. Judging by the form outlined by the thin hospital blankets, Sandburg was around 5’6 -5’ 7” tall compared to Jim’s own 6’2”, buff physique. He was slender, but compact; in perfect proportion in Jim’s opinion, if a tad underweight at present. 

But it was his face and hair that really captivated the sentinel. Although tied back out of the way in a loose ponytail, Sandburg’s long curls were a dark auburn in colour; and despite being somewhat lank and dishevelled and in need of a proper wash, Jim knew that they would feel like silk to his touch, and he was hard put not to stretch out his hand to test his theory. He really hoped that not too many had been lost to the surgeon’s scissors before the laceration in Sandburg’s scalp was cleaned and stitched. 

Although there was a thick dressing on the back of Sandburg’s head; secured in place by bandages; Jim could see enough of the young man’s face to tell that he was very attractive indeed. A wide brow, well-defined cheekbones and a firm chin framed a neat nose and the lushest mouth Jim had seen in a long time on either man or woman, and he hoped that when the long-lashed eyelids finally lifted for him, they would reveal eyes as beautiful a blue as in his imagination. True, there were a few scrapes and abrasions on forehead and chin, and the cheeks were dark with stubble, but the attraction was undeniable, and not just because of the young man’s beauty. Jim knew, without a shadow of a doubt that young Dr Sandburg was a guide. And one to whom he was drawn as never before. 

Well, shit. 

Even as his senses purred in contentment as they settled on the sleeping guide, Jim tried vainly to deny what they and his heart were telling him. He didn’t want a guide, despite his unbonded status. He still coveted his solitude, and bitterly resented the thought that he needed a guide in order to maintain his physical comfort and his very sanity. He hadn’t asked for the damned senses, but had learned to live with them up to a point, and even appreciate them at times when they helped him close difficult cases. But at the end of the day, he simply had never wanted to share his space with a guide. 

Until maybe now. And wasn’t that something? Not only was Sandburg a man; which wasn’t of itself a problem for Jim, but might be for his boss; but he might possibly also be a criminal. 

Shaking his head in exasperation, Jim pulled up the chair next to the bed and sat down, never taking his eyes off the peaceful face. Holding his hand out, slightly above the blanketed form, sentinel almost-touch could still feel the heat of bruising, suggesting that not only had Sandburg been clubbed, but had been kicked pretty well too. And that made Jim angry. _No one_ touched His! And where that thought came from, he didn’t know. This was getting all too weird, and he didn’t like it at all. 

Just then, slight changes in the sleeping man’s physiological responses alerted Jim to the fact that Sandburg was slowly waking, and he unconsciously leaned forward in eager anticipation. Sure enough, a few seconds later, eyelids fluttered in the pale face to reveal a glimpse of cerulean blue; at least as rich in hue as Jim had imagined. 

“Mmmm, whuh…where’m I?” a small voice croaked out, its tone and richness instantly addictive despite the hoarseness due to an undoubtedly dry throat. 

“Easy Chief,” Jim replied softly, the gentle familiarity falling automatically from his lips. “You’re in hospital, and you’re quite safe. My name’s Jim Ellison, and I’m a detective with Cascade PD. No one’s going to hurt you again while I’m here, OK?” 

It was unlikely that Sandburg really absorbed many of his words, but the young face relaxed infinitesimally as the eyes closed again. “O…OK, man. I…I hear you…” came the soft reply before Sandburg fell silent again. However, Jim realised that he wasn’t asleep yet, just breathing slowly and deeply as if trying to work through the pain which he must undoubtedly have been suffering. A few minutes later, the eyelids cracked open again, and Sandburg seemed just a little more compos mentis. 

“Wh…what happened to me? Do you know?” he murmured, blurry eyes seeking Jim’s. “C…can I go home?” 

“Not yet, Chief,” Jim replied, trying to convey comfort to the hurting and confused man. “Can you remember anything at all? Anything about how you came to be here?” He mentally crossed his fingers that something would surface; anything at all that could convince him that Sandburg was indeed only an innocent victim. To that end, he concentrated all his sensory skills on reading Sandburg’s physiological reactions, knowing that he would recognise the changes that would indicate that the man was lying. 

“I…I don’t know,” Sandburg whispered, his brow wrinkling in both discomfort and deep thought. “B…but I think I was in my office. A…and someone came in. Uh, I can’t remember who. But then I turned around and something h…hit me! Oh goddess! Why? Why did they hit me? What did I do wrong?” and his voice rose and broke in real hurt and anxiety, his eyes flashing open for an instant in terror. 

“Easy, easy, Chief,” Jim murmured quickly, reaching over to grasp the hand nearest to him that had lifted off the bed in agitation. “It’s OK, Dr Sandburg. Don’t panic. You’ll just hurt yourself more--” 

His attention was distracted as the door burst open to reveal a very angry figure in a white coat, who demanded, “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Detective? You have absolutely _no_ right to be questioning my patient without my authorisation. You shouldn’t even _be_ in here unless I give you the go-ahead!” 

Turning to face the irate medic, Jim remained determinedly calm even though he’d prefer to answer in kind. 

“I’m sorry to upset you, Dr...er…Digliss, but I can assure you that I wasn’t trying to conduct an official interview with Dr Sandburg. As investigating officer, I am here to protect a valuable witness, not to coerce him. Obviously we need to learn as much as we can from him when he’s ready and able, but right now he literally just woke up. And is in serious pain, by the looks of things…” he added pointedly, frowning as he turned back to take in Sandburg’s pale, sweaty face, the dry lips slightly parted as the young man panted through his pain while his eyes squeezed tightly shut. 

Instantly distracted, Dr Digliss strode forward to study his patient, quickly ascertaining the situation as he snapped to the nurse who had followed on his heels, “Get me the morphine dose I ordered, stat! And you, Detective, need to leave. I can’t have you upsetting my patient like this!” 

“I’ll leave the room for now, Doctor, but I shall be staying here,” Jim replied calmly. “I know you must be aware of Dr Sandburg’s protected witness status, and I assure you I intend to do everything I can to carry out my duty.” He met and held Dr Digliss’s angry gaze, but it was the doctor who backed down first. 

“If you must, Detective. But right now, I have a patient to attend to, so if you’d be so good?” he added sarcastically, indicating the door. 

Uninterested in gloating over his minor victory, Jim merely ducked his head in assent, and turned for the door, offering the newly-returned Murphy a nod in passing. He had far more important things on his mind, and first and foremost he needed to call Simon. It might not have been the best or most thorough examination he’d ever carried out, but he was absolutely certain nonetheless that Sandburg was truly innocent. Absolutely nothing Jim could detect suggested anything but genuine fear and confusion on the young professor’s part. So the next thing he needed to do was to let his boss know that Sandburg was no longer to be considered as a suspect, but instead as a potentially valuable witness. 

And he also decided that, for the moment at least, he would keep to himself the fact that he thought that Sandburg just might be the guide for whom he’d been unconsciously seeking for so long; firmly slapping down the annoying inner sentinel who was rubbing his hands together in smug, self-satisfied glee.  



	2. Getting to Know You - Wild card

**Chapter 2: Getting to Know You:– Wild Card:**   


**Following morning, Blair’s private room:**  


Several hours later Jim was to be found still sitting at Blair’s bedside, contemplating the still form before him. Sandburg had slept fitfully after his last dose of morphine, apparently disturbed by unpleasant dreams, but he hadn’t yet awoken fully enough to be interviewed. However, any impatience Jim felt at the delay was more to do with how much he wanted to simply communicate with the young guide than with gathering information for the investigation, although that was, of course, a priority. As far as he was concerned, the vigil was worth it, despite the discomfort of sitting in the same place for so long on a less-than-comfortable chair. His senses were more settled in Sandburg’s presence than he could ever remember, barring perhaps when he had been helped by Incacha, the Chopec shaman who had come to his aid when he first came online after the helicopter crash in Peru that killed his team. And thinking back to that traumatic episode, when he was still a captain in the army Rangers, he concluded that Sandburg’s was an even better grounding presence, suggesting that Incacha’s insistence that he would find his true guide in the Great City wasn’t as fanciful as Jim had thought at the time. But all that was mere speculation for the moment, as there was no guarantee that Sandburg would want anything to do with a cop after all. He might already have designs on another sentinel; a thought that caused Jim to frown in anger. He was pretty sure the young man wasn’t committed, or else his sentinel would be here already, hovering over him even more protectively than was Jim. But he surprised himself by his own determination to fend off all other rivals from hereon in, this previously unknown possessiveness shocking. He hadn’t felt this deeply even towards Caroline, and it shook his self-awareness to its very foundations. 

And he had yet to exchange more than a few disjointed words with the guide. Who’d have thought? 

Deliberately turning his thoughts away from such unsettling notions, he pondered on the call he had made to Simon regarding his intention to stay at the hospital. His captain had been surprised to say the least, knowing how much Jim usually tried to avoid too much contact with victims of violent crimes. He sympathised with them, for sure, and always did his best to bring their abusers to justice, but he was uncomfortable with the emotional side of things, preferring to leave the role of comforter to those with more empathy than he had. However, Simon had accepted Jim’s assertion that Sandburg was innocent with surprisingly little fuss, proving to Jim that his boss had every confidence in his sentinel’s ability and integrity. He knew that Simon would pass on his information to Tom Anders, so that the investigation could progress without Sandburg’s involvement until such time as he could be interviewed. 

Just then, a soft sigh beside him focussed his attention back on the figure in the bed, and he was gratified to see two sleepy blue eyes open and blink a little myopically before sliding to meet his own. A puzzled frown creased the young man’s brow as he plainly fought to make sense of his situation, and Jim watched in fascination as different reactions and emotions flitted across the expressive features. Sandburg certainly looked even worse now, which wasn’t entirely unsurprising as the bruising had come out on his chin and jaw, and the heavy beard stubble and dark rings around the glorious eyes accentuated his pallor, and Jim had to fight down the urge to gather up the young man and hold him close, the need to offer tactile comfort almost overwhelming. Instead, he smiled gently, trying to appear unthreatening as he said softly, “Hey, Dr Sandburg. How do you feel? Can I get you some water, or do you want me to call the nurse?” 

Blair blinked at him, then his eyes slid towards the water jug sitting on the nightstand, the longing in his expression plain to see. 

“Gotcha, Chief,” Jim murmured, the gentle familiarity coming naturally as he reached over to pour some into a paper cup, adding a straw before holding it to the dry lips. Sandburg took several long sips, his expression one of relief as the cool liquid eased his parched throat. 

Releasing the straw and indicating that he had had enough for now, Blair licked his lips and swallowed experimentally before trying to speak, the words emerging somewhat hoarsely but still balm to sentinel ears. 

“I…I know you, don’t I? You were here before. A cop?” 

“That’s right, Dr Sandburg. Detective Jim Ellison. How are you feeling now? Do you want me to call the nurse?” 

Sandburg shook his head slightly, wincing at the pain the tiny movement elicited, but when his eyes fluttered open again Jim could see the sharp intelligence beneath the hurt. 

“No, not yet, man. I mean, my head hurts like a sonofabitch, and the rest of me’s almost as bad, but I’m OK for now. I guess you need to figure out if I’m some sort of felon, huh? So we might as well get it over with.” 

Somewhat puzzled, Jim frowned as he answered. “What do you mean, Dr Sandburg? Yes, I’m here to interview you, if you’re up to it. The sooner we get to the bottom of this business the better.” 

Sandburg closed his eyes again for a moment as he fought the ache in his head, but when he opened them again there was a definite glint of sardonic humour in them. “You’re a sentinel, Detective. So you must be here to check me out with the senses. Why else would you be burdened with sitting at a victim’s bedside for hours on end?” 

Jim grinned in reluctant admiration as he replied, realising that the guide was much more savvy than he had expected. Then again, he supposed that he oughtn’t to be surprised, having already figured out for himself that Sandburg must be a very strong empath to have captivated him so completely. 

“For your information, Dr Sandburg,” he said, his prim words offset by a wicked gleam in his eye, “I’ve already checked you out, and cleared you with my superiors, so yes, I’m here to interview you if that’s OK with you. And I’m doing it because I want to, not because I’ve been ordered to.” 

Sandburg’s eyebrows rose in astonishment at his comments, plainly considering them before offering his response. “You’ve already checked me out, huh? You have to be an Alpha, then. And I guess you realised pretty soon that I was a guide too. But if you have any designs on me, forget it, Detective. I’m not on, and never have been on the Guide Register by choice. So, let’s get on with it, shall we? Because I gotta say, man, that I feel like shit.” 

Now it was Jim’s turn to raise an eyebrow in consternation, but he determinedly shook off the feeling of righteous indignation that Sandburg’s uncompromising statement aroused in him. 

“Fair enough, Dr Sandburg. So, what do you remember about the time leading up to the attack? Was there something out of the ordinary going on?” 

Breathing deeply for a moment again, Sandburg closed his eyes in concentration as he tried to recall anything of interest that might be pertinent to the investigation. It wasn’t easy, as his mind still felt muddled from the blow, but it was way better than before even if the effort hurt. 

“OK, here goes,” he murmured, meeting the big detective’s piercing blue gaze again. “And please call me Blair, Detective. All that ‘Dr Sandburg’ stuff is so wearing, and still fairly new to me.” 

When Jim nodded and grinned in response, he continued. “I’m still fuzzy about the attack itself, because it happened so quickly, and no, I didn’t see who it was. They hit me from behind, and I went out like a light. So why everything else hurts I don’t know. Unless they were just doing it for spite. Or overkill. And I really can’t understand why anyone should want to hurt me like that,” he added in a pained whisper. 

When Jim reached over and squeezed his hand in sympathy, he raised a wan smile of gratitude and continued. 

“I recall that I was in my office, and had taken delivery of a package earlier on, on behalf of Dr Hal Buckner, one of the department’s senior professors, and at one time, one of my tutors. He’s on an extended expedition to Brazil – somewhere in the Amazon basin – and he asked me to take charge of some artefacts he was sending back. I agreed, but he asked me not to open it until he returned. I thought it was a bit harsh, because he knows how inquisitive I am, but I could understand it. If they were something special to him, then I guess he wouldn’t want to risk someone else getting their hands on them, even me!” Suddenly, he stopped, a faint blush pinking his cheeks as he sent Jim a sheepish glance. 

“Sorry, man. Too much information, I guess. I do tend to babble on, even when I feel this bad.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Dr…uh…Blair. It might be relevant after all. So, what happened after you signed for the package?” 

“I put it in one of my cupboards, intending to find a safer place for it later. I had a tutorial scheduled, so I couldn’t deal with it immediately. Anyhow, the tutorial ran over, and it was quite late before I had finished up everything and was getting ready to leave. It must have been around 10-ish, or just before, because that’s when Joe – the campus security guard – does his final check around the building for the night. I’m sorry, but after that things get very confused. I seem to recall retrieving the package to transfer it to a lockable closet, and that’s it. Goodnight Dr Sandburg!” 

By the time Sandburg had finished speaking, his colour had faded even more, and the signs of real pain were etched deeply on his face. Jim quickly reached for the bell beside the bed, making a unilateral decision to ring for the nurse. “I think that’s more than enough for now, Blair. It’s given me something to work with, and now you need something for the pain. I’ll go and report in, but I’ll be back before you get discharged. And don’t worry. There’ll be a guard on your door at all times.” 

He realised that he was speaking to himself even before the door opened to admit Blair’s nurse, the young man in too much agony to respond further, so, leaving Blair in her capable hands, Jim left the room, intending to return to the PD to see what progress had been made in his absence.  


\------------------------------------  


**Later that morning, Simon Banks’ office:**  


Jim settled into the chair Simon indicated, and wrapped his hands around the mug of gourmet coffee the captain presented him with on his arrival. Tom Anders was already present, enjoying his own beverage, and as Simon poured a third for himself, he said, “You’re looking remarkably good this morning, considering that you spent the night in a hospital chair. How come?” 

Jim smiled as he responded. “Well, I dropped by the loft to grab a shower and change before coming in, but what really made the difference is that it turns out that Dr Sandburg is a guide, so my senses enjoyed a treat. I might not have been able to catch much sleep, but I still feel so much better, and the grounding effects haven’t worn off yet.” He had no intention of elaborating further yet, or mentioning his desire to pursue some sort of working relationship with the young professor, because it was nobody’s business but theirs for now. Besides, Sandburg had made it clear that he had no wish to be anyone’s guide. But Jim was nothing if not determined, and once he set his mind on a course of action, very little could turn him aside. And in the case of Dr Blair Sandburg, he was prepared to be patient. 

“That’s good to know, Jim. So, before you bring us up to speed on Sandburg’s interview, Tom will tell you what we’ve been up to while you’ve been babysitting,” and Simon chuckled heartily at his own feeble joke which was enough to draw wry snickers from the other two men. 

Putting his empty mug down on the desk in front of him, Tom turned to face Jim as he began. “Well, the first thing we’ve confirmed is that Sandburg signed for a package sent from Brazil by one of his colleagues, who is out there on some sort of extended anthropological expedition. Since the guy, a Dr Hal Buckner, is incommunicado right now, we’ll have to wait to question him until he returns to the US, but I think it’s a fair guess that he is the source of the cocaine in the vases. And since your senses’ve already confirmed that Sandburg is innocent, it looks like he was just used as a convenient temporary keeper.” 

“That jibes with what Sandburg told me earlier,” Jim replied. “He said that Buckner used to be one of his tutors and that the guy trusted him not to peek at the goodies, so there’s no way he could have known about the product hidden inside. But he also said that he believed he was attacked before the security guy did his last rounds and locked up for the night. So what happened to him, seeing that it wasn’t him who raised the alarm?” 

“Well, here’s the thing,” Tom said grimly. “We found the guard, Joe Milowski, dead in his apartment. His throat had been cut and his uniform and ID taken, according to his girlfriend who arrived just after the body was removed from the scene. She was in a state, as you can imagine, but was able to tell us that she didn’t think anything else had gone. So whoever attacked Sandburg knew exactly what he was doing, and where he could find both package and keeper. 

“It’s my theory that the perp is probably an accomplice who’s gotten greedy in Buckner’s absence, and it’s highly likely that he’ll come after Sandburg again just to make sure of him once he realises the professor survived.” 

“I think so too,” Jim agreed sombrely. “He’ll want to be sure that Sandburg really can’t testify to anything, and most likely thought that he’d hit the poor guy hard enough to kill him. The extra kicking could have been anger or spite, but perhaps he was in too much of a hurry to finish the job. Or he could have heard something and made a quick exit. Whatever, I think Sandburg was very lucky.” 

“So how do you want to play this, Jim?” Simon asked. “He’ll have to go to a safe house, I’m thinking, but how is he doing? Will he be discharged from hospital soon?” 

Jim had his own ideas about what he wanted to do, but wasn’t sure how Simon would react to his suggestion. Or Sandburg himself, for that matter. “Although he looked pretty rough when I left him, and has some concussion, apparently his scans have shown no sign of a skull fracture or swelling of the brain so far, so he really was lucky in that sense. He does have a nasty scalp wound, and a lot of deep bruising, but again, no broken bones or internal injuries. So I think that he might well be discharged tomorrow morning after one more night’s observation. And when he is, I want to take him to the loft. I can protect him there far better than in a safe house, and I had medical training in the army, so I can keep an eye on his injuries too.” 

Simon’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise at Jim’s suggestion. Since when did his lead detective open his home to a complete stranger, even if he was the victim of a brutal attack? This was ‘lone wolf Ellison’ they were talking about, who didn’t even make a success of sharing his space with a wife. And then the proverbial penny dropped, and Simon frowned as he drawled suspiciously, “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with the fact that Dr Sandburg’s the real deal as a guide, does it, Jim? Have you finally found someone with whom you’re compatible, and you want to protect him in your own territory, so to speak?” 

Jim’s lips thinned in irritation, and he had the decency to blush a little as he admitted, “Well, yes, I guess you’re right, sir, insofar as I feel a compulsion to protect the guide. Any guide, for that matter. But you don’t have to worry about me going primal or anything. Sandburg as good as told me that he wasn’t a registered guide, and had no intention of becoming one. So I doubt if there’ll be any bonding happening in the near future,” he finished glumly. 

Simon studied him speculatively for a moment, before offering his opinion. “If you say so, Jim. But I think that perhaps you might be right about the loft. What better place to keep a protected witness and possible target than right under the nose of a sentinel? If you’re happy to act as Sandburg’s bodyguard for a few days, fair enough. And I’m thinking the proximity won’t do your senses any harm either. So if Tom and his Captain are OK with it, go ahead and arrange it as soon as Sandburg is discharged.” 

“It’s OK by me, sir,” Anders spoke up. “And I can’t see it being a problem for Captain Sullivan either. Anyhow, I’ll get going and I’ll fill him in with what you suggest. Then I guess we’re a bit stymied unless or until the guy strikes again, or a lot of new product suddenly hits the streets. We could try and get Buckner extradited from Brazil, but they’d have to find him first!” 

“Fair enough, Tom. The guys from Narcotics will be putting the feelers out, and we’ll put the word out to all our informants also. Someone somewhere has to know something!”  


\-----------------------------------  


A short while later, Jim was preparing to return to the hospital in order to check on Sandburg’s condition when Megan arrived in the bullpen and hurried over to his desk. 

“Hey, Jimbo, I’m glad I caught you. I understand that you’re going to be looking after that assault victim, Dr Sandburg? Because if you are, there’s something you’ll need to know. Joel and I picked up a call from a property near the campus. An apartment block where quite a few students live. Apparently one of the apartments was trashed, and someone tried to set it on fire, except that a neighbouring student heard the racket and called it in before the whole place could go up in smoke. Did a bloody good job of containing the fire too, according to the Fire Department. 

“Unfortunately the burglar got away down the fire escape before we arrived, but we checked the place out after the Fire Department gave us the go-ahead. It’s Dr Sandburg’s place, and it’s a real mess, Jimbo. The poor guy couldn’t go home yet even if he wanted to.” 

Jim frowned at her words, his jaw tight as he fought to control his rising anger. Sandburg just didn’t seem to be able to catch a break, and his protective instinct ratcheted up even more. However, nothing would be gained by him having a temper tantrum on Sandburg’s behalf, so he nodded briskly as he replied, “Thanks, Megs, you’re right. I had offered to keep an eye on Sandburg at the loft, and it looks like it’s the best option for him right now. I can’t believe that this is an isolated incident. It just has to be someone who is either after something he thinks Sandburg has, or who wants to get rid of the man himself. I’ll go over there now and see if I can pick up any clues, although it’s probably unlikely.” 

“Well, if anyone can, it’ll be you, Jimbo,” Megan answered encouragingly. “Do you want me to come along too? You know, see if it’s of any help?” 

Jim smiled at his colleague, struck once again by her unselfish attitude towards him even though he had been less than appreciative of her in the past. 

“If you want to, I won’t say ‘no’,” he said with a grin, snickering at the surprised but pleased expression on her pretty face. “I intend to use the senses, so a bit of extra grounding won’t go amiss.” 

“Well, that’s bonzer, Jimbo! My car or yours?” 

“Oh mine, for sure, Connor! I’m not that addicted to white-knuckle rides!” and he grunted at the sharp elbow that nudged him none-too-gently in the ribs as she responded with mock-indignation. 

“Says the man who’s trashed how many vehicles so far?” And they left the bullpen in accord for once, even though Jim soon sobered up again at the thought of what he was about to see, and wondering how he was going to break the news to Sandburg.  


\--------------------------------------  


**Meanwhile, in the hospital:**  


Blair sat on the chair beside his bed, huddled miserably in the thin robe he had been given to cover the despised backless hospital gown which was his only other item of clothing. He would have liked to get back into bed, but had been told that he would soon be discharged if he continued to improve so rapidly. After the next check-up, all being well he would be able to get dressed in his own clothes once he had satisfied the medics that he was capable of walking unaided for a short distance. In all honesty, he didn’t feel all that much better, and in fact felt more than a little queasy, having just made a slow trip to the bathroom for a rudimentary wash, but Dr Digliss was of the opinion that he would be better off at home as long as there was someone around to keep an eye on him for the next day or so. And he had to admit that he preferred to be at home also, away from all the poking and prodding even if he was grateful for the care. There was also the question of insurance cover, because although he was on Faculty now, it was still in a very lowly position, and he wasn’t at all sure just how far his cover would stretch. A further night spent here would certainly be pushing it to its limits. 

Usually an optimistic, ‘glass half full’ type of guy, he was aware that he felt lower than he had for a long time, and that was for several reasons, and not just because of his present physical condition. Far worse than the injury itself was the mental and emotional pain arising from the as yet unknown reason why he had been attacked in such a way, and by whom. He didn’t want to believe that Hal had set him up like that, but even if his old tutor was involved in drug smuggling, surely he hadn’t intended for Blair to get hurt? For sure, he resented the hell out of the fact that he’d been duped into receiving the package, but he really didn’t want to find out that he was in effect collateral damage. But what else was he to think? Unless perhaps one of Hal’s partners in crime was too impatient to wait until Buckner got back from Brazil. 

Sighing despondently, Blair reached up and pushed a stray curl behind his ear, grimacing at the greasy feel of it. He had been unable to wash it because of the stitches in his scalp, and he felt grungy despite the wash he’d just had. The lank curls were contained in a loose ponytail, and he had to force himself not to scratch at his itchy scalp, especially near the site of the stitches beneath the dressing. The one good thing was that he hadn’t lost too many of his long locks, and had enough left to cover the clipped area until it grew back again. Then again, maybe it was time to consider cutting his hair? But no. It was part of who he was. Who he still was, despite everything that had happened to him, over and above this most recent hurt, and he didn’t want to lose even more of himself than he had to. 

Which inevitably brought his thoughts around to the handsome sentinel detective who had made such an impression on him despite himself. He had promised himself that he would never again approach a sentinel without good cause, but the detective hadn’t had the same effect on him as some he had encountered previously. Apart from the fact that the man was drop-dead gorgeous, Blair had felt only good vibes coming from him. However, the fact remained that first and foremost he was a sentinel, and as such set off every one of Blair’s self-protective alarms. Just let him go home, get a little rest and then get back to work. He didn’t want or need further complications in his life, having learned the hard way that his evergreen hippy nomad of a single mom had been right on the nail when she had warned him against trying to hold on to either people or possessions. Everything was transient, and it was selfish to expect otherwise. ‘Detach with love’ was what Naomi had taught him, and so what if he sometimes felt that part of him was missing? Keep your heart to yourself, and then you know you won’t be hurt. 

Just then, the door opened to reveal the man himself, accompanied by a very pretty brunette. And every instinct Blair possessed warned him that something was very wrong, and he felt his heart thumping in his chest as he studied the serious expressions on both his visitors’ faces. 

Looking from one to the other apprehensively, he swallowed hard as Detective Ellison spoke, his voice strained but gentle. 

“Dr Sandburg, may I introduce my colleague, Inspector Megan Connor. We have some news for you, and I’m sorry to say that it isn’t anything good.” 

Blair’s eyes widened at Jim’s words, but his attention was initially captured by the attractive Inspector. He could tell that she was a sensitive, and in the next instant knew that she wasn’t Jim’s guide, and for some strange reason that provided him with a sense of great relief. 

However, he had little time to ponder on the strange feeling, as Jim continued speaking, and he was correct. It definitely wasn’t anything Blair wanted or needed to hear. 

“Dr Sandburg – Blair. I’ve just returned from a crime scene with Megan here, and I’m sorry to have to tell you that it’s your apartment. We were going to arrange a safe house once you’ve been discharged for your own protection, but it seems as if someone wanted to make sure you had nowhere to go anyway. Apparently one of the neighbours in your building heard movement in your apartment, and as she knew that you weren’t at home, she tried the door. Whoever was inside made their escape down the fire escape, but when she went in she saw that they’d tried to set a fire, and the place was trashed. She had the courage to fetch the nearest fire extinguisher, and managed to put out the fire before it could take hold properly, and called 911. I’m truly sorry, Bair, but there’s not much left that hasn’t been either burned or broken. Whoever it was made a good job of destroying everything once they’d searched for whatever they thought you had stashed away.” 

Blair blanched at Jim’s description, his shock making him dizzy for a moment, and he swayed in his seat. Jim quickly reached over and threw an arm around his shoulders, and Blair couldn’t help but lean into the offered comfort and support for a moment while he tried to get his head around what he had heard. However, after a while he straightened up and looked from Jim to Megan and back, his eyes tragic but not all on his own account. 

“Oh goddess! That’s awful! How could someone do that? I mean, if the fire had taken hold, the whole building could have gone up! People could have died, and just because someone thinks I have something I don’t! Do you know who it was who managed to save the place?” 

“It was a young lady called Brenda Lewis, Dr Sandburg,” Megan answered. “I spoke to her shortly after me and my partner Joel responded to the 911 call. She was a gutsy young sheila to say the least. And she was really worried about you, doc.” 

Blair looked away for a moment, digesting everything he had heard before turning back to face them again. “Brenda’s one of my grad students. I’ve been teaching her for a while now. She’s a great kid; very bright. I owe her.” 

Suddenly his face twisted as the realisation suddenly hit that he was virtually homeless now. For sure, the apartment hadn’t been much – cheap and cheerful – but it was all he could afford even though he had a proper job now. In his lowly position, the salary wasn’t all that great yet, and he was still paying off student loans. In truth, most of his precious books and artefacts were in his office in Hargrove Hall, along with his backpack and laptop, but there had been a few personal items like his photo album and mementoes from his nomadic childhood that were irreplaceable. He wasn’t entirely destitute, having a change of clothes in his backpack, and he had his old classic Corvair in the campus parking lot. But where he would go tonight, he didn’t know. 

Then he remembered what Jim had also said, and he met the other man’s sympathetic gaze as he queried, “Uh, you said something about a safe house, Detective? What did you mean?” 

“We can’t risk this person getting to you, Blair. He obviously means business, and you’re being targeted because he thinks you know more than you should. Or are holding more of what he wants. I propose to take you back to my place. I can keep an eye on you, and I have had medical training, so I can do whatever’s necessary. It’s for your own good, Chief. How about it?” 

Blair was completely taken aback at the offer. It was over and above, and he was profoundly grateful. However, almost immediately his sense of self-preservation kicked in and he frowned suspiciously as he murmured, “This wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that I’m a guide, would it, Detective Ellison? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the offer, but shouldn’t I go to some official safe house? I’d prefer not to do either, but it seems I don’t have any other option right now.” 

Jim had the grace to blush a little and sent a sideways glance to Megan before he responded a little sheepishly, “You’re right in one respect, Chief. I do feel especially protective because you’re an unbonded guide, and as you know, as a sentinel I’m hot-wired to protect any guide. But I won’t try anything unless you want it, Blair. I just want to make sure you’re safe, and I think I’ll be in the best position to guard you.” 

Blair didn’t really see any other option, so he nodded reluctantly. “In that case, Detective – ah, Jim – thank you. I think I should be discharged fairly soon now, so I guess I’ll be coming home with you for a while.” 

And Jim couldn’t quite prevent a warm and faintly triumphant grin from lighting up his face at the young man’s capitulation. It was true that he had no intention of forcing the issue, but once Sandburg was in his territory, he would be in the best position to try and change the guide’s mind.  


\---------------------------------  


**Later that night, the loft:**  


“Here we are, Chief. Home sweet home!” Jim knew he sounded pitifully trite, but couldn’t think of anything else more profound right now. Sandburg shuffled into the loft ahead of him, looking pretty darned dreadful; his face drawn with pain and his clothes rumpled. All Jim wanted to do was put him to bed and take care of him. And that didn’t mean his own big bed upstairs, although that would have been preferable as far as he was concerned. For now the young man needed rest and quiet, and Jim wanted to provide that for him. 

“I’ve already made up the spare bed, so if you want, we’ll take a side trip to the bathroom, then you can lie down again. It looks like you can barely stay on your feet.” 

Blair really did feel as bad as he looked, and was in no condition to argue. Nodding slightly, he muttered, “Yeah, thanks Jim. Can’t seem to think straight right now….” 

“No problem, Chief,” Jim replied, wrapping a supportive arm around the waist of the now swaying smaller man. “Here, lean on me, and let’s get you settled.” 

After a quick bathroom break, where Jim hovered outside in case Blair managed to fall off the commode, he almost carried his new houseguest to the small bedroom under the stairs. He carefully stripped the guide down to his underwear, and tucked him in, managing only to get a dose of painkillers and a drink of water down him before Blair fell asleep. Jim stood for a while, contemplating the sleeping figure, his senses automatically monitoring every physiological reaction as he studied the young face carefully. In repose, the stress lines smoothed out, and Blair looked incredibly young and vulnerable, so much so that Jim felt an entirely unfamiliar urge to hold and cuddle the battered body close. He had never in his life felt anything quite so strong, even though he had most definitely loved his younger brother – at least, before their father had set them against one another – and he thought he had loved Caroline too. This was care and concern on a whole different level, and it made him decidedly uneasy even as he marvelled at it. 

Closing the French doors quietly behind him, he left Blair to rest, and called into the office, needing to report in to Simon, and find out what, if any, progress had been made.  


\---------------------------------------  


As it happened, things came to a head that very night. While Blair slept the sleep of the truly exhausted, the officers in the patrol unit parked outside 852 Prospect spotted a figure acting very suspiciously creeping up the alley beside the building. Caught in the act of trying to climb up the fire escape, after a brief struggle the man was cuffed and contained, and taken to the PD for booking. Jim left Blair, albeit reluctantly, under the watchful eyes of Joel Taggert while he went to the station to find out what was going on. 

Although he would have loved to conduct the interrogation himself, Jim watched from the observation room next door as Tom Anders quickly broke the young man before him. Randy Barstow was an angry, confused and highly indignant young man, desperately in need of a fix, and it didn’t take that much persuasion to get him to confess all. It turned out that he had been a student at Rainier, who had initially attended Blair’s anthropology classes, and had been a good student until he had fallen in with the wrong crowd and started using; as later confirmed by his academic records. He had quickly moved on to hard drugs, and his work suffered dramatically, until Blair was forced to confront him for blatant plagiarism. However, Randy had already been recruited by Hal Buckner as a potential partner in crime, and Buckner had tried to persuade Blair to let it go, with no success. Sandburg was an ethical man who had no intention of doing so, even though he did try to help Barstow by encouraging him to go for counselling. He had thought that Barstow’s dropping out of school had been the end of it, but apparently not. Buckner kept feeding Barstow’s habit, and when he departed on his trip to Brazil, he told Barstow of his plan to send the first consignment to Blair. Barstow considered that Dr Sandburg was responsible for his woes, and his hatred was such that he intended to take his revenge by both finishing off his erstwhile teacher, and stealing all the product for himself. 

Unfortunately for Barstow, Buckner didn’t trust him further than he had to, so when the package had been sent to Blair, only part of the expected consignment was inside. The rest was going to follow later, but Barstow didn’t know that. He planned his attack on Blair carefully, stealing the security guard’s uniform and showing no sign of remorse for murdering the man in cold blood. He hid in a closet until locking up time, and when Blair had gone for a quick bathroom break after his tutorial was over, Barstow had slipped into his office and taken a look at the package. He had already removed one of the pots inside, and when Blair returned, Barstow had stupidly hit him with it, too enraged and desperate to think straight. However, when something distracted him, he had ceased his attack on the downed teacher, and gathered up the broken shards and the leaking packet of cocaine, taking the whole package with him as he made his escape. However, he failed to see one of the pieces which had slipped under the desk, and once he got home, he found that the other pots were empty after all, and his fury knew no bounds. Sandburg had to have taken the cocaine for himself, and Barstow intended to find it, and then finish off what he’d started. He broke into Blair’s apartment, and turned it over, only to find no trace of cocaine. In a mindless rage, he trashed the place, determined to kill the other man as soon as he could track him down. It hadn’t been that hard to hang around the hospital and follow Jim’s truck to the loft, keeping out of sight until he could move under cover of night. In his drug-addled mind, it didn’t occur to him that it was a cop’s apartment he intended to break into. All he knew was that Sandburg was there, and that he had to die. 

Jim listened, appalled and sickened by what he had heard, and turned to face Simon, who was standing next to him. Simon’s expression matched his, the disgust and contempt uppermost as he growled, “So much for academia, hey, Jim? I always wanted to believe that it was somehow removed from real life. You know, safely enclosed in those ivory towers. But it seems that even professors aren’t immune from crime and temptation after all. And the good ones like Dr Sandburg suffer from it. I’m thinking that this sorry tale is going to hurt him very deeply.” 

“You’re right, sir,” Jim concurred. “I think he’s going to be seriously disillusioned by all of this, and even though I’ve only known him for a couple of days, I know that he’s going to be very upset about the security guard, Joe Milowski’s murder. He’s obviously very much a ‘people person’ and I know he felt partly responsible for the damage done to his building, so for sure he’s going to feel guilty about that death too. I just hope that he allows me to help him through it.” 

Simon regarded him thoughtfully for a long moment before saying, “You know, Jim, I never thought I’d see you react like this. I mean, you genuinely sympathise with victims, but you also keep aloof. This is so out of character for you I have to believe that there’s more to this guide than you’re letting on. I hope you know what you’re doing, because I don’t want to see you getting hurt, man.” 

Jim offered a rueful grin as he replied, “Me too, Simon. But I don’t think Sandburg would do anything deliberate to hurt me. I think he has his own reasons for keeping away from sentinels, and I intend to try and get to the bottom of it. Once this case is put to bed, and he can get on with his life, I want to make sure he knows that I’m here for him. And that getting to know him is going to be my top priority.” 

“And after that declaration, my friend, I’m tempted to say that I’m obviously still getting to know you, too!” Simon answered. “You have depths that I never suspected, but it’s no bad thing. Go on, go home and take care of Dr Sandburg. And in the morning, if he’s well enough, he can come in and make a written statement. And I’ll look forward to meeting him. After all, all being well, he might become a regular fixture here, hey?” 

“We can but hope, sir,” Jim murmured wryly, and the two men left the room together, deep in thought.   



	3. Prompt - Reunion

**Chapter 3: Prompt – Reunion:**  


Following morning, the loft:  


It was around mid-morning when Blair finally surfaced from his deep and mercifully dreamless sleep, and although he had stiffened up enough to make his initial movements painfully deliberate, he actually felt much better in himself. His headache had subsided dramatically, and although he felt horribly grungy and rumpled, he knew that the prolonged and undisturbed rest had done him the world of good. He suspected that it was because his subconscious recognised that he was in a safe place, and he wryly considered that being in an alpha sentinel’s territory would do that for you. But he also told himself that he’d better not let himself get used to it, because he still had no intention of binding himself to anyone; even someone as attractive as Jim Ellison. Then again, he was truly grateful for the man’s kindness to him, so the least he could do in return was to agree to offer his help on an ad hoc basis when he could fit it into his busy schedule. Just as long as Jim didn’t pressure him to commit to a deeper relationship. Been there, done that, and against his will at that, and it wasn’t going to happen again. 

As he slowly emerged from the small bedroom, he wasn’t surprised to see Jim hovering expectantly outside the French doors, plainly trying hard not to crowd the injured guide even though it was very obvious that he wanted to offer support. “You OK, Chief?” Jim asked, his manner solicitous, and Blair couldn’t help but feel a warm glow at the man’s kindness. Hell, even Naomi had never been much on the nurturing side, so to have this sort of attention was a treat he wasn’t used to. 

“I’m better, Jim. Truly. I slept well, and feel all the better for it. Thanks for the offer of the bed, man. But what I really need is the bathroom, man! And I’d be very grateful if I could clean up a little. I feel pretty grimy.” 

“Sure thing, Chief,” Jim said with a smile. “Tell you what, once you’ve taken care of business, shall I draw you a bath? I don’t think you should be showering yet, and I know you’re supposed to keep your stitches dry. I can help you wash your hair in the hand basin if you want?” 

To say that Blair was astounded was an understatement, and he was so tempted to take Jim up on the offer. The notion of having clean hair was incredibly inviting, and yet he was wary of becoming too beholden to his host. “That’s really good of you to offer, Jim, but I don’t want to be too much trouble. You’ve already been so good to me, I don’t want to impose.” 

“As to that, Chief, I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to do it, and it’s no problem. I can take care of your dressings afterwards also. And once you’re done, if you feel well enough, we can go down to the station so you can make an official statement, OK?” 

He deliberately refrained from hinting at what had transpired during the night, as he didn’t want to upset the other man so soon. Joel had left some time earlier, and Sandburg had slept through Jim’s comings and goings, so was ignorant of the fact that as far as he was concerned at least, the case was as good as closed. 

“OK then, man, and thank you. It’s above and beyond, but I won’t turn down a generous offer like that. But I really do need the bathroom, man, so lead the way!”  


\----------------------------  


Shortly afterwards, a transformed Sandburg emerged from the bathroom, dressed in the mismatched but clean clothes Jim had sorted out for him. Jim had been as good as his word, and had washed Blair’s curls in the hand basin, his sentinel sensitive touch making the action almost erotic as far as Blair was concerned, and without any risk to his stitches. Once his hair had been towelled as carefully as possible, and tied back out of the way, Blair had rid himself of the days old stubble, and climbed carefully into the bath Jim had drawn for him, unaware of the angry frown the sight of his multi-coloured bruises elicited in his host before Jim left him alone to enjoy the experience. The soak in the warm water did him the world of good, and he felt almost human by the time he had finished, and he couldn’t help but grin at the sight of Jim pottering around the kitchen preparing breakfast. 

“Thanks, Jim,” he said with a smile as soon as he was seated at the kitchen table. “That was just what I needed, man. I feel much better, and I’m quite happy to make my statement whenever you want me to.” However, his face fell as reality intruded once again and he continued, “I guess I need to check out my apartment, huh? I mean, maybe I can salvage some of my stuff. I need to start looking for another place as soon as I can, because I don’t want to impose on your hospitality any longer than necessary.” 

“Well, as to that, Blair, there’s no rush as far as I’m concerned. I’m happy for you to stay as long as you need, because I won’t lie to you. My senses think they’re on vacation, they’re so comfortable in your presence, so don’t think you have to go on my account. But I’ll stick to my promise, Chief. I don’t expect anything more from you than you’re prepared to give. I’ll just enjoy not having to rely on the meds for a while.” 

Further discussion on those lines were shelved in favour of tucking into the eggs and toast that Jim had prepared, and he was pleased to see Sandburg put away a good sized portion. Sitting back in his seat, Blair looked at him and smiled, even the colourful bruises failing to mar his attractiveness overmuch. 

“Thanks, man, that was great. I didn’t realise how hungry I was, but then again, I was hardly tempted by the hospital food. You make great eggs!” 

“Well, thank you kind sir,” Jim responded cheerfully. “I do enjoy cooking when I have the time – and the inclination. How about you?” 

“Oh, I love to cook, man!” came the enthusiastic reply. “But it’s not that often that I have the opportunity, sad to say. My kitchen’s pretty basic….” And then his voice tailed off as he realised that his kitchen probably didn’t exist anymore. Or at least, not in a usable condition. 

“Come on, then, Chief,” Jim said heartily, not wanting Blair to brood. “Let me get this cleaned up, and we’ll get on down to the PD. Simon Banks, my boss, said to come in as soon as you were ready, so if that’s the case…?” 

Blair shook himself determinedly out of his temporary funk and smiled back. “Yeah, man, I’m good to go. But let me help you with the clean-up. At least I’m up to drying the dishes!”  


\----------------------------  


It was a much quieter and more introspective Blair who accompanied Jim into the MCU bullpen. During the drive over to the PD, Jim had finally explained what had happened during the night, and the news had hit the young man hard. He understood and appreciated why Jim hadn’t told him as soon as he had woken up, wanting to give him a little more time to recover, but now he knew the ins and outs of the case, he was deeply upset. As was his wont, he felt guilty for not doing enough to help Barstow, even though he knew he was right not to allow the plagiarism to stand. He really had tried to get the misguided student to seek help, and it wasn’t his fault that Barstow had thrown his words of advice back in his face, but even so, perhaps there was more he should have done. But of course, the fact that Hal Buckner was feeding the student’s habit purely in order to encourage his dependency on the scheming professor had to undermine Blair’s efforts anyway. And the knowledge that there was someone out there who hated him enough to want to kill him was frightening indeed. It was to be hoped that Barstow could get the help he needed while serving his time so that he could emerge rehabilitated, but Blair wasn’t naïve enough to truly believe that. 

As for Hal Buckner, Blair didn’t know what to think. He should hate the man for setting him up like that, and for what he was apparently currently engaged in, but he had once been a good friend to the young Blair, and a valued tutor. It was the sense of betrayal that hurt the most, and Blair honestly didn’t know what punishment he wished on the man if and when he was eventually arrested. 

And of course, as Jim had suspected, on top of all that was Blair’s very real sorrow on behalf of Joe Milowski. He had had many a friendly chat with the long-serving security guard, and the fact that the man had been murdered simply as a means to get to Blair hurt him intensely. Even at his worst, Barstow had never given Blair the impression that he could be quite so cold-blooded, but then again, it was in Blair’s personality to look for the good in everyone. Which of course meant that he was bound to be disillusioned on occasion, as he was now. 

Glancing over at his quiet companion, Jim murmured quietly, “Are you still up for this, Blair? I’m really sorry about everything that’s happened, and I hope you know that I only want to help. But the sooner you get this statement out of the way, the sooner you can get on with your life. I mean, I know that you’ll probably have to appear in court somewhere down the line once Buckner is apprehended, but in the meantime, I’d like to help you get back on your feet.” 

Blair looked up at him, a watery smile fighting to overcome the devastation and disappointment on his face. “I know, Jim. And I appreciate it, man. But it just takes a bit of getting used to, you know? Having someone hate me that much. I’m going to need a little time to process everything, so please don’t be offended if I seem withdrawn. I’m really going to need a little space.” 

“Understood, Chief,” Jim replied. “But I’m hoping that you’ll still stay at my place until you get everything straight in your head. I promise to give you as much space as you need.” He knew he sounded a bit plaintive, but couldn’t help it. He really did want the guide to stay in his territory even if they made no further progress towards a possible partnership any time soon. It just felt right, and his senses thanked him for each hour spent with Sandburg. And if he allowed himself to think about it, he wondered just how good his ability could turn out to be if he had a permanent and committed guide. It was a tantalising prospect, and one that he’d never have believed possible up until now. 

But it still might not be unless Sandburg had a dramatic change of heart, so Jim cautioned himself not to get his hopes up too high. Whatever reason Blair had to avoid bonding to a sentinel must be an extremely powerful one, because for sure Jim couldn’t see the young man turning his back on his own gift just on a whim or through selfishness. 

However, all further thoughts along those lines were suspended as the pair entered the bullpen, Jim automatically placing a proprietary hand at the small of Blair’s back; not so much to stake his claim, but to offer support when he felt the smaller man falter a little. 

Blair shot him a small, grateful grin, and then turned to face the rather portly African American man who rose to his feet and came to meet them, hand outstretched in greeting and with a wide smile on his pleasant, if somewhat weary face. 

“Dr Sandburg, pleased to meet you,” he said, shaking Blair’s hand carefully. “I’m Joel Taggert, and I’ll be taking your statement when you’re ready.” 

Blair smiled in return, his eyes warm as he replied, “And I’m very pleased to meet you, Captain Taggert. I believe I have to thank you for standing guard over me last night while Jim was out. I’m only sorry I slept through everything!” 

Joel’s smile widened even further, completely won over by Blair’s honest appreciation. “You’re more than welcome, Dr Sandburg, but call me Joel, OK?” 

“Sure, Joel, as long as you call me Blair!” came the chuckled response. “The whole ‘Dr Sandburg’ shtick is still very new to me, and I still find it a bit intimidating!” 

“Fair enough, Blair. So, when you’re ready, shall we get the official stuff over with so Jim can introduce you around? If you want to, that is,” Joel added, not wanting to overwhelm the still obviously hurting young man. 

“That’ll be fine, Joel,” Blair replied gamely. “I guess the sooner we get it over with, the better!” And so saying, he and Jim followed Joel to an empty interview room, making themselves as comfortable as possible in order to take care of business.  


\-----------------------------  


A couple of hours later, all three emerged from the interview room, with Blair looking more than a little frayed around the edges. Although Joel had been nothing but kind and tactful, the actual process had been very trying for the young man, and he was greatly relieved to have gotten it over with. After Joel thanked him and took the written statement away to be typed up, Jim led a somewhat shaky Blair over to his desk, intending to let the young man sit for a while to get some sort of equilibrium back. However, he was stopped in his tracks by a summons from Simon’s office, although it was somewhat milder than his usual bellow. 

“Detective Ellison! My office, if you please. And bring Dr Sandburg also.” 

Blair looked quizzically up at Jim, plainly less than happy at the prospect of meeting Jim’s captain just yet, but nodded resignedly when Jim offered him a rueful grin, saying, “Don’t worry, Blair. His bark’s nearly always worse than his bite, and I promise I won’t let him upset you unnecessarily. If you need to leave, then we leave, boss or no boss!” 

“OK, Jim. I guess it’s only polite,” he murmured, turning to face the open office door. But he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t going to be a simple social visit after all, and he braced himself as best he could for the upcoming meeting. 

Beside him, Jim was well aware of the guide’s discomfort, hearing the elevated heartbeats and smelling the faintly sour tang of distress marring the otherwise delicious personal scent, but he also needed to find out what exactly Simon wanted from both of them. And he really hoped that the older man would be more tactful than was his wont, because the last thing he needed right now was for Blair to take fright or umbrage even before Jim had properly begun his campaign of persuasion. 

“Come in, come in, Jim, Dr Sandburg! Please make yourselves comfortable,” Simon said affably, indicating the chairs in front of his wide desk. “Coffee, both? My cousin reckons this is one of the best he’s sent me so far, but it still tastes like Maxwell House to me!” 

Jim grinned ruefully at the much-used joke, but nodded anyway. “Sure, sir. Thanks. It does at least smell good.” 

Taking his cue from Jim, Blair answered, “Thank you, Captain Banks. It does smell tempting, and I can never get enough of the nectar of the gods.” 

Smiling a little ferociously, Simon nodded heartily as he poured three mugs of his private gourmet blend. “Coming up, gentlemen. Cream and sugar, Dr Sandburg?” 

“Just cream, please,” Blair replied, taking the offered mug. “And please call me Blair. Like I told Joel, the ‘Dr Sandburg’ routine is too formal for my taste.” 

The slight grimace at Blair’s familiarity that flashed across Simon’s face went unseen by the young guide, but Jim caught it, and frowned briefly. He hoped that Simon wasn’t going to ride rough-shod over Blair so soon, because even though Jim knew that his captain only wanted the best for his team, he wasn’t going to do Jim any favours by trying to intimidate the reluctant guide into cooperating with him. 

Sitting down opposite the pair, Simon took an appreciative sip of coffee, then set his mug down on the desk in front of him. Fixing Blair with a steady gaze, he said, “I’m pleased to see that Jim’s been looking after you, Dr…uh…Blair. I’m sorry you were hurt, and that you’ve lost your apartment, but at least you still have a roof over your head. And now your attacker is under lock and key, you’ll be free to get on with your life, will you not? 

“I understand that you teach anthropology at Rainer. Can you tell me what your doctoral dissertation was on? I assume it was something sentinel-related, since you’re a guide yourself?” 

Blair stiffened as he placed his own mug down. He thought he knew where this was going, and he resented the hell out of the big captain’s clumsy questioning. But he forced himself to respond more or less politely for Jim’s sake, because he could tell that the detective was almost as uncomfortable as he was. And he might just as well lay his cards on the table right now, as it was as good a time as any to state his case. 

“As it happens, I changed my dissertation topic, Captain Banks. While it’s true that I used to be captivated by the whole subject of sentinel studies, and my Master’s thesis was on the subject of tribal sentinels and their companions, I never intended to follow that route. The guiding route, that is. My mother, Naomi, believes that it is intrinsically wrong to allow oneself to be bound irrevocably to another, whether a person or an institution, so I never signed the Guide Register. I believe that society is better served by my contribution in the role of teacher; educating many young minds rather than limiting myself to serving the needs of one individual. Besides which, I once had a - shall we say - less than satisfactory encounter with a sentinel, who wanted to bond with me despite my protestations. So I shunned the topic in favour of writing a paper on shamanism. That is the only element of the whole sentinel and guide dynamic that now interests me. 

“Of course I realise that Jim benefits from my presence in his territory, but although I am prepared to help him out on occasion in gratitude for his generosity, I still refuse to contemplate giving up my life and my independence. Do I make myself clear?” 

By the time he had finished speaking, despite the firmness of his tone and expression, it was clear to Jim that Blair was greatly upset and only controlling himself through sheer willpower. The still healing body was wracked with tiny tremors, and the young man was holding himself rigidly, his hands clenched into fists where they rested on his thighs. 

Shooting his boss an accusatory glare, Jim rose to his feet. “I think that’s enough for now, Blair. Let’s get you back to the loft, then perhaps in a while we can drop by your apartment to see what you can salvage. Unless it’s still considered to be a crime scene, that is. 

“So, if you’ll excuse us, Captain, we’ll be on our way. I’ll call in later today to let you know what’s happening,” and his voice dared Simon to gainsay him. 

Plainly angered by his subordinate’s uncompromising attitude, but controlling his urge to retaliate in kind with a mighty effort, Simon nodded brusquely. 

“See that you do, Detective,” was all he growled in response, pulling a file towards him in a semblance of casual dismissal. 

But as the two men left his office, with Jim’s hand once again resting supportively on the small of the young guide’s back, Simon couldn’t help but chastise himself for his own lack of patience and short temper. It could be that his heavy-handed questioning had sent the guide running for the hills already, and Simon mentally kicked himself for his uncalled-for belligerence. _Well, that went well. Not!_  


\-----------------------------  


Pulling out of the underground parking garage, Jim shot a worried glance over at his silent passenger. Blair was clearly fighting a battle with his inner demons, and even though all Jim wanted to do was offer his support, he knew that right now it probably wouldn’t be welcomed. He was furiously angry at Simon’s tactless approach to Blair, and he just hoped that the fledgling friendship he had hoped was forming between him and the young professor hadn’t been broken already. They drove in silence for a while before Blair sighed heavily, turning sad eyes to meet Jim’s inquisitive and sympathetic gaze. 

“I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to lose it like that. You deserve a full explanation, but I can’t offer one right now. I just can’t. Maybe sometime I’ll be able to talk about it, but not right now. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done for me, and I meant what I said about offering guidance when you need it if I can, but please don’t ask any more of me. Not yet.” 

Jim wanted to reassure him that it was the last thing on his mind, but that would be a blatant lie, and Blair would know it. So he decided on the honest truth. 

“It’s OK, Chief. I realise that you’re not trying to pass me off with some feeble excuse. Sentinel senses here, kiddo. I can tell you’re really upset, and I’m truly sorry that Simon was his usual less than tactful self after all. I had hoped that he could have curtailed his tendency to act like a bull in a china shop, but believe me when I say he only has my good at heart. He just has no idea of what a true sentinel and guide partnership entails, and can’t understand why you should want to deny yourself – and me – the benefits. But it’s your decision, and although I confess I’m deeply disappointed, I still don’t intend to coerce you against your wishes. But I hope you’ll allow me to try and change your mind? I’d like for us to be friends, Blair, and I’d like for you to stay with me in the loft. It can be under your conditions, Chief. Just let me keep you safe in my territory?” 

Blair looked away, biting his lip as he considered Jim’s words. He had expected the sentinel to be mad at him, but Jim had surprised him with his understanding. And he did feel safe in the big cop’s presence, it had to be said. It was absolutely nothing like what he had experienced before, but he was still scared. And until he knew Jim better, there was no way he was going to agree to bond with him, however handsome and buff he was. 

But it was so tempting to agree to stay in the loft. It felt right, somehow, and in contrast to his shabby – and now probably uninhabitable apartment – it represented luxury and security. Which was perhaps as much to do with the owner as with the premises themselves. Maybe he should test the waters a bit after all. 

“It’s really generous of you, Jim, but even if I was to agree, you don’t know what you’d be letting yourself in for. I’m untidy, I’m a workaholic, and I talk too much. As a student I never stayed for long in shared accommodation because my fellow lodgers always got fed up with me after a while, and I learned to get out before I was asked to leave. You just don’t know me well enough.” 

“That’s as may be, Chief,” Jim responded with a small smile, sensing the first glimmer of hope in Blair’s words. “But I’m more than willing to give it a try, and if you can put up with me, I think we could make it work. I’ve been told I’m anal, have uncontrollable OCD, and my temper’s not the best. But I’d like for us to try, Blair. I freely admit that my inner sentinel needs to cherish you, and I repeat my promise that I won’t ask you for more than you can give. So, how about it, prof? Will you give it a shot?” 

And Blair found himself agreeing, surprising the hell out of himself as he said, “OK, Jim. Let’s try it for a week, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll get out of your hair. That work for you?” 

_Oh yes!_ Jim thought as he nodded happily. _That works for me all right!_  


\----------------------------  


They decided to drive straight to Blair’s building, the young guide wanting to see if there was anything worth salvaging. On arrival, they were met by a tiny, 5-foot-nothing whirlwind, who threw herself into Blair’s open arms, sobbing in relief and sorrow. 

“Oh, Blair, I’m so sorry! Your poor apartment! I tried, really I did, to put the fire out quicker, but I guess I didn’t get there soon enough!” 

Blair gently put the pretty grad student away from him a little as he replied, nothing but gratitude and affection in his tone. “Don’t even think of blaming yourself, Brenda! I’m indebted to you, as are all the building’s occupants, for your quick thinking. All I want to say to you is that you really shouldn’t have put yourself in danger like that, even if your bravery humbles me!” 

The tearful student sniffled a bit as she offered him a watery smile. “De nada, Prof! Anyone would have done the same. I just happened to hear the intruder first.” 

As for Jim, he was busy castigating himself roundly for his automatic feeling of astonishment that this tiny girl had acted so selflessly and bravely. It occurred to him that he would be seriously in error if he underestimated anything his possible future guide might accomplish on account of his relative lack of stature, and the thought was indeed humbling. 

Shortly afterwards, he and Blair left the building, his young friend trying hard not to look too despondent. There had indeed been little enough to salvage. Blair had managed to pull out a few items from his meagre wardrobe that would be wearable once laundered, and he had been more than happy to have recovered his precious guitar, which had apparently been overlooked in its hiding place under Blair’s bed. The hard case had withstood the tribulations of the fire and its aftermath, and Blair now clutched it possessively under his arm as they returned to Jim’s truck. 

Other than that, all his precious photographs, letters, small CD collection and personal mementoes had succumbed to the flames of the small but efficient fire; having been deliberately thrown in a heap in the middle of the room; and everything else had been trashed beyond repair by Barstow’s malevolence. 

Jim had nothing to say that would adequately express his sadness and indignation for Blair’s loss, so he simply wrapped an arm around the shaking shoulders, and led his hurting friend back to the truck and thence home to the loft. 

He was momentarily disturbed by a strange, prickling feeling on the back of his neck, as if he were being watched, which was accompanied by a surge of additional protectiveness towards the young man at his side, but he put it down to the distressful nature of the situation, and didn’t think any more about it. 

But as it turned out, he really should have.  


\---------------------------------  


Over the next few days, both men gradually relaxed into a sort of easy camaraderie, although neither man made further mention of bonding for the time being. Jim returned to work, his senses benefitting from the fact that he had a strong, if uncommitted guide presence to come home to, while Blair returned to his duties at Rainier, even if somewhat curtailed until he was passed as truly fit to return to full time work. The last thing he wanted to do was to give his nemesis, Chancellor Marie Edwards, grounds for complaint, because he was well aware that he had been granted a position on faculty only over her strong objections. For some reason, despite his admirable teaching reputation and publishing record, the woman had it in for him, and until he managed to gain tenure, he knew he was still vulnerable to her whims and temper tantrums. 

He had been at the loft for nearly the allotted week’s trial when a knock at the door drew his attention from the pile of blue books he was in the process of marking. Frowning in minor irritation, he moved to open it, half expecting to see Jim standing there, apologising ruefully for forgetting his key. 

Unfortunately for Blair it was nothing of the sort, and he stepped back in utter shock as a figure from his past moved right into his personal space. 

The tall, beautiful blonde woman reached out a long-fingered hand to stroke his cheek as she smiled at him, her expression purely predatory as she purred, “Hello, Blair. How are you, My Guide?” 

And all Blair could do was stare at her in terror and disbelief, his words almost sticking in his throat as he whispered, “Alex? How? Why are you here? You’re supposed to be serving life?” 

To which Alex Barnes replied smugly, “You know me better than that, Blair! I’ve come for my Guide!”  



	4. Prompt - Power Dynamics

**Chapter 4: Prompt – Power Dynamics:**   


**Same day, MCU bullpen:**  


Jim sighed with relief as he put the finishing touches to his report. He had been asked to check over the crime scene at a homicide, and had managed to come up with some telling evidence, his senses working at least adequately. He was well aware that the task would have been made much simpler if he had had Blair at his side, but it was still early days in their friendship, and he didn’t want to pressure Blair at all. He knew that he had gotten off lightly after Simon’s intimidating tactics, since Blair was still prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it could so easily have ended in the young man heading for the hills. However, at that thought, a slight frown creased his brow, as he was forced to face the fact that Blair’s promised ‘week’ was nearly up, and although Jim believed that they were making progress, he wasn’t entirely reassured that the young man would agree to stay on. Certainly they had found that they had far more in common than either of them would have expected for two such different characters from diverse backgrounds. They both enjoyed watching Jags basketball games and had the same taste in popular literature, even if Blair didn’t have much time for light reading in between burying himself in his weighty anthropology tomes, and they both enjoyed kicking back with a beer in the evenings whenever possible, finding comfort in each other’s company. It was true that Blair did talk a lot, as he had warned, but more often than not his anecdotes were highly entertaining even though Jim quickly realised that the young man never revealed much about himself. However, whereas when he tended to go off into lecture mode, Jim somewhat guiltily tuned him out, he still found the background sound of Blair’s warm tones soothing to his ears. 

And Blair definitely was every bit as untidy as he had said, which Jim freely admitted to himself was somewhat trying for an anal sentinel used to his own space. Traits such as leaving wet towels on the bathroom floor and dirty dishes stacked in the sink were things he would like to cure his houseguest of if he were to stay on in the loft, but Jim ruefully recognised that he would probably prefer to live with such bad habits rather than see Blair leave him. 

All in all, although it surprised the hell out of him, he decided that he actually liked sharing his space after all; his senses automatically seeking out and settling on the guide as soon as they were in close proximity, and at night he was lulled into restful sleep by the gentle sounds coming from the small bedroom below. And if he sometimes wondered wistfully how it would be if Blair was in his bed, he tamped the notion down firmly. Better to enjoy what he already had than dream of what might be. 

As he printed out the finished report and placed it in his out tray, his ruminations were disturbed by the sight out Megan entering the bullpen, a rather worried expression on her pretty face as she made her way directly over to his desk. 

“Everything OK, Megs?” he asked, mildly intrigued by the Aussie Inspector’s uncharacteristic air of uncertainty. “What’s up?” 

Megan paused for a moment before speaking, a slightly sheepish look creeping over her face as she regarded Jim carefully. “Uh, Jimbo, it’s like this, mate. Look, I don’t want to stir up any bother, and I don’t want you to fly off into a tanty or anything, but I’ve been doing a bit of snooping, all right? See, I like Sandy, and I wanted to do something to help both of you--” 

Jim’s eyebrows shot up as he queried sharply, “’Sandy’? What the hell are you talking about?” 

Megan held up her hand in a calming gesture as she continued somewhat irritably, “Let me finish, Jimbo! I mean Blair. ‘Sandy’ suits him, you know? And because I liked what I saw of him when I met him, I thought I might be able to do something to help you two get together. I mean, he’s the right one for you, isn’t he? Anyone with half an eye can see that. But I wondered what was holding Sandy back. And I think I’ve found out why. Do you want to hear what I learned?” 

Genuinely intrigued now, even if he still felt aggravated at his colleague’s audacity in taking it upon herself to do a background check on Blair when he hadn’t had the guts to do one for himself, he nodded decisively. “OK. Say what you have to say, but it had better be good.” 

“Actually, if you don’t mind, Jimbo, I think perhaps Captain Banks might need to hear this too. At least then he’ll understand why he should take it easy on Sandy if Sandy ever agrees to help you out here.” 

Jim glared at her for a moment, but decided that she probably had a point, so he stood abruptly and headed towards Simon’s office, jerking his head in a rather peremptory invitation to follow him. _Damn nosy bitch!_ he thought uncharitably, _What makes her think she has the right to interfere in our business?_ But in the next instant, his better self recognised that she was only trying to help, so he forced himself to keep his cool. 

Knocking on Simon’s door they both entered at his gruff command, and stood in front of his desk, meeting his questioning gaze as Jim began without further ado. “Sorry to barge in on you like this, sir, but Megan’s been doing some digging into Dr Sandburg’s past, and she thinks it’s relevant to our potential partnership.” 

Frowning irritably, Simon met Megan’s steady gaze. He knew he had almost ruined any chance of Jim developing a partnership with Sandburg, and still felt guilty about it, so he knew that in all fairness he should make time to listen to whatever Megan had to say. 

“Fine. Take a seat, both of you. So, what’ve you found out, Connor?” 

Megan sat down and looked from one to the other, her expression determined now as she began. 

“It’s like this, sir. I wanted to find out more about Sandy – er, Dr Sandburg – because I got to wondering why he and Jim hadn’t even made any attempt to bond. You see, I can tell that they’re compatible. I might only be a low-level sensitive myself, but I can see that Sandy’s the real thing. A top notch guide. And completely right for Jim as an Alpha sentinel. So, I thought I’d try and check him out,” and here she had the grace to blush rather bashfully. She didn’t let the other men’s slightly disapproving expressions put her off, though; because she was convinced she was doing the right thing. 

“Right then. It’s like this. I found out that about five years ago, just after he would have finished his Master’s degree, Sandy was kidnapped by a sentinel. Her name was Alex Barnes. Apparently she wasn’t the real deal, because she was a hardened criminal. A real bad’un, by all accounts. A psychotic nut-job who had the heightened senses without the compulsion to protect. Anyway, according to the reports I dug up, she held Sandy prisoner for three days; trying to force him to bond, I suppose; and at the end of that time, she tried to drown him in the fountain on Rainier’s campus. She almost succeeded, but he was discovered in time, although it was touch and go. She was captured shortly afterwards, trying to steal some nerve gas from a restricted area. Apparently she zoned, because she had no guide to ground her, and she was locked away in a high-security mental institution. 

“So that’s it, sir, Jim. That has to be why Sandy never wanted to have anything to do with sentinels again. And who could blame him?” 

To say that her listeners were both shocked and horrified would have been an understatement. Jim’s face was tight with fury, the muscles in his jaw jumping as he gritted his teeth in his rage. His inner sentinel howled for revenge – to tear limb from limb the evil bitch that had hurt his guide – and he was hard-pressed not to growl in his throat like the black jaguar who was his animal spirit. A spirit he was aware of, but never sought out. 

As for Simon, although his rage wasn’t as intense, it was still fierce enough, but not so much that he wasn’t able to think relatively clearly. Frowning darkly, he rubbed his chin with his hand while he sought the memories he wanted to retrieve. “I remember something about that case,” he mused. “It was just before you transferred to this unit, Jim, and as the FBI took it over, I don’t recall many of the details. For instance, I’d forgotten about the kidnap victim’s part in it. And I probably wouldn’t have made the connection to Sandburg anyway. The woman was sent to Conover’s hospital wing at first, I believe, because she was comatose, but I think she was transferred out of State later. But I have no idea what happened to her after that. I assumed she was still either zoned, or at least locked away for life. I’m pretty sure that she had more real blood on her hands than just Sandburg’s attempted murder.” 

As he was speaking, sentinel recall kicked in, and Jim suddenly remembered the strange feeling he had experienced when outside Blair’s apartment building. His abrupt intake of breath caused both Simon and Megan to stare at him in consternation as he snapped urgently, “Captain, I need you to find out what happened to her! I think she’s out, and I think she’s stalking Blair!” 

Simon’s frown was dubious as he replied cautiously, “Look, Jim, I realise you’re upset, but isn’t that overreacting? I mean, yes, I can look into it for you if it’ll set your mind at rest, but how can you possibly think that somehow she’s gotten out of a high security institution? And even if she has, why would she risk coming after Sandburg again?” 

“Because she thinks he belongs to her, Simon,” Jim replied, his eyes cold and deadly. “She must have at least imprinted him during the time she had him in captivity, and she won’t give in until she gets him back and bonds with him properly. It’s what sentinels do. It’s what _I_ would do! I don’t know why she tried to kill him, unless she thought that if she couldn’t have him, no one else could, but she’s obviously crazy!” 

“OK, Jim,” Simon capitulated even if he still believed Jim was being unrealistic. “I’ll have Rhonda look into it for you--” 

“I could do it, Captain,” Megan blurted out, looking anxiously from Simon to Jim. “I think that if Jimbo feels that something is wrong, then it probably is, and I know where to look.” 

Simon nodded his assent, and she hurried from the room, intent on her mission while Jim met his captain’s speculative gaze. “I know you don’t like all this sentinel voodoo shit, sir,” he murmured with a wry grimace, “But all my instincts are telling me to be on the alert. I need to call Blair and see if he’s OK. He’s working at home in the loft today, and I want to warn him--” 

He never finished his sentence, as just then Megan burst back into the room, her face white as she gasped out, “Barnes is out! She escaped ten days ago while she was being transported to another facility!” She stopped and stared at Jim, whose gaze was unfocussed while his head was tilted in an unconscious listening pose, except that it was an internal voice that was speaking to him. The voice of primal intuition, which had never yet failed him. 

Leaping to his feet, he growled, “She’s here! And Blair’s in danger!” and he sped from the room, looking neither right nor left as he raced through the bullpen, leaving a trail of astonished looks in his wake. 

Simon and Megan exchanged a speaking glance, and as one they set out in Jim’s tracks, the need to back up their friend and colleague foremost in their minds.  


\-----------------------------  


**On the road, heading out of Cascade:**  


“Alex, please! This can’t happen, you know this!” Blair was ashamed of the tremor in his voice, but he couldn’t help it. He had good reason, as he clearly recalled the feel of the female sentinel’s deceptively strong fingers around his neck, forcing his head underwater in Rainier’s decorative fountain. He shuddered as he remembered the ice-cold terror as he struggled fruitlessly against her maniacal strength, fighting so hard not to breathe, but finally having to give in. And oh, the excruciating pain of the cold, dirty water hitting his lungs. 

After that, he knew that things had been very muddled, and he only remembered with any sort of clarity the moment of his awakening in a hospital bed. He learned later that the two students who had found him and pulled him out had believed he was already dead, and the EMTs who responded to their 911 call had thought so too. He still didn’t know why he had been sent back; the only explanation given him was from an elderly Native American shaman of his acquaintance who had simply shrugged and informed him prosaically that it wasn’t his time yet, and that he still had a purpose to serve. But right now, that was of little comfort to him if the ‘purpose’ turned out to be a forcible bonding with Alex after all. 

For a moment, he tried vainly to free himself from the duct tape that bound his wrists together in front of him, even though he knew the attempt was futile. He couldn’t just sit there and meekly accept what was happening to him, although a glimpse at Alex’s serene profile was enough to make him cease his efforts. The female sentinel’s lips were curved upwards in a self-satisfied and sardonic smirk, her arrogant self-confidence clear to see. 

“Oh, Blair, Blair!” she murmured patronisingly, sending him a swift and knowing smile before continuing to concentrate on her driving. “You know you’re wasting your time, my Pet, so you might as well desist before you hurt yourself. This is what was meant to be, so stop fighting it.” 

Despite his fear, Blair had to speak, his innate strength forcing him to demand the truth behind her actions. 

“How so, Alex? I mean, you tried to kill me the last time you took me. You hurt me, and tried to rape me. And all because you wanted to bond with a guide who didn’t want you. I _still_ don’t want you, so if that means you’re going to kill me again for sure, get on with it!” 

The bravado in his words was somewhat undermined by his unwanted trembling, but he tried to keep the determination in his eyes anyway. 

However, Alex’s response served to both deflate his hopes and underscore his vulnerability as she chuckled throatily. “You know better than that, my Pet. You know very well that a sentinel with my capabilities needs the strongest of guides. A shaman guide. And I knew immediately that you had the potential, Blair. When I started working with you, it was for more than just a little help with my senses in return for being a subject for your dissertation. And when I took you, and you defied me, you made me angry, my Pet. So angry that I made a huge error. But now I’ve returned to put it right, and we shall be the strongest pairing the Pacific Northwest has ever seen!” 

Blair’s open-mouthed expression made her smile widen, her pretty face becoming shark-like as her eyes narrowed in malevolent glee. 

“Oh, come now, Blair! You know as well as I do that a shaman’s powers are awoken by a near-death experience! My mistake was in not waiting until you were resuscitated, and trying to continue with my mission without you! There! I admit it, and I can reassure you that it won’t happen again. 

“Because after all, I won’t have to repeat the act. Your ability is there now, and is mine for the taking. All I need to do is bond with you and call it forth. 

“And no small-time cop sentinel is going to deprive me of my shaman guide!” 

This last was uttered with a fierce determination, and Blair had no doubt whatsoever that she meant what she said. 

_Oh, Jim!_ he thought. _I’m so sorry! This is the last thing I expected, and I know it’s going to hurt you! You’re the real deal – a true Alpha sentinel – and that means you’re going to try and find me whether I deserve it or not. And Alex will kill you if she can. Please, please don’t let her!_

For a moment, his devastation threatened to overwhelm him, but then his innate strength resurfaced, and he mentally shook himself. No way would he let Jim die for him. The man was honourable and decent, and a far better sentinel than Alex could ever be. And Blair loved him. He could admit it now, since he doubted if he would ever have the chance to tell Jim to his face. He realised that a bond with one such as Jim wouldn’t be the burden Naomi told him it would be. Jim would have protected and cherished him, and honoured his desire for a little space to live his own life. 

And he had been too afraid to admit it. And now he would never know just what a true bond should be. 

And worst of all, neither would Jim. The only answer was for Blair to pretend to go along with Alex’s wishes, and then to kill himself. He would never be able to kill her in cold blood, however much he hated her, but he would find a way to kill himself, and in doing so, would set Jim free.  


\-------------------------------  


**Meanwhile, back at the loft:**  


As Jim entered the loft, Simon and Megan hot on his heels; he already knew that it was deserted. Testing the air, he detected Blair, the tang of real distress overlaying the already beloved scent. He growled deep in his chest at the other, almost feral scent that hung in the air like a foul miasma, knowing that it belonged to the usurper who had dared to take his own. 

“She has him. I know it!” he snarled, his eyes sweeping the loft for any clues, even though he knew it was in vain. Another sentinel would know how much or how little evidence to leave behind; and all he needed to know was that Blair had been taken against his will. The half-marked blue book he had been working on lay open and abandoned on the coffee table, and his coat still hung on the hooks by the door. Most telling was Blair’s ubiquitous backpack, propped up against the sofa whose cushions still held a trace of residual heat from the guide’s body. He felt certain that she was taunting him; wanting to let him know just who had Blair. And that most likely he was meant to follow so that she could gloat over her possession of the guide before she killed her despised rival. Well, let her try! 

Reaching out carefully to clasp Jim’s shoulder, Simon murmured, “What do you know, Jim? How can you tell it’s Barnes that has him? How can you be sure?” 

“I can smell her!” the angry sentinel replied. “Who else could it be?” 

Megan looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “You know, Jimbo, you could make certain of it, to your own satisfaction, at least. Think what Blair would tell you to do if he were here, even if you’re not bonded yet. You thought there was a presence watching you both outside Blair’s building, so try and isolate the scent. You can do it!” 

Jim looked dubious. “I don’t know, Megs. I mean, I know in theory I should be able to recall any individual scent I’ve smelled before, but without a guide, I could zone if I go too deep.” 

“So let me help!” she said eagerly. “I know I’m no substitute for a guide like Sandy, but perhaps it’ll be enough!” 

Jim nodded, a hopeful glint in his eyes. If he could do it, even if it didn’t actually identify the kidnapper as Barnes, at least he would know that it was the same person on both occasions. And he’d know it again. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply for a minute or two while Megan rubbed his arm, murmuring soft words of encouragement as he concentrated hard…and harder, then harder still. Just when she thought he was in danger of zoning, Jim gave a shudder and his eyes opened to meet hers and then Simon’s. 

“It’s the same scent. I can’t swear to it whether or not it’s Barnes’, but it’s definitely the same person. And my gut tells me that it can’t be anyone else but her!” 

Nodding decisively, Simon said, “That’s good enough for me, Jim! I’ll put out an APB on both her and Sandburg, and let’s pray that someone somewhere has seen her!”  


\-----------------------------------  


Some miles into the Cascade National Forest, Alex finally pulled up outside an isolated property. Although certainly off the beaten track, it wasn’t exactly out in the wilderness, and Blair couldn’t help but study it with interest despite his rising anxiety. Not a basic cabin, it was a sturdy enough dwelling, if in need of some TLC. And it didn’t look as if it had been abandoned either, so Blair wondered if the residents were cronies of Alex’s. 

Correctly interpreting his quizzical expression, Alex turned to face him, smirking knowingly. “You’re wondering who lives here aren’t you, my Pet? Well, let’s just say that it’ll be our home from home for a while until our bond is set. The owner won’t miss it, I can promise you!” 

Seeing the cruel glint in her eyes, Blair blanched and swallowed hard. He knew exactly what she meant, and had to wonder where the body or bodies were literally buried. He was already aware that Barnes had no conscience at all, and his fear ratcheted up another few notches as his too-vivid imagination conjured up images of what was in store for him. He had little time to dwell on such thoughts though as she climbed out of the non-descript SUV they had been travelling in and came around to the passenger side. Opening the door, she reached in and grasped his coat collar, the wicked-looking Glock handgun she had threatened him with at the loft clasped purposefully in her right hand. 

“Out you come, my Pet. Time to show you your new home!” she chuckled throatily. 

There was no point in struggling, so Blair complied meekly. It wasn’t the right time to make a run for it, because he knew only too well that he wouldn’t get far, and her punishment would be terrible. What he needed to do was try and keep her at bay for as long as he could, and work on creating an opportunity to either kill himself, or get her to do it for him. He felt sad that he would never get the chance to see Jim again, even to apologise for his reticence on the subject of becoming Jim’s guide, but it was what is was, and he was determined to do the right thing. 

Half dragging him out of the SUV, Alex pushed him ahead of her up the weedy gravel path and in through the unlocked front door, not stopping until they had crossed a shabby but comfortably-furnished lounge area and entered another room, which was ostensibly a bedroom, but with modifications. Changes which made Blair shudder anew as he took in the stout chains attached to the bedhead and various items on the nightstand. 

Pushing him down to sit on the bed, Alex took hold of his taped hands and snapped the cuff of one of the chains around his right wrist. Only then did she cut the tape and pull it off, frowning at the chafing his attempts to free himself had caused. 

“Now that was silly of you, wasn’t it, my Pet?” she muttered. “Anyone would think that you enjoyed a little pain, but we know better, don’t we? But if that’s what you want, I’ll be happy to oblige. Now, strip!” she snapped, her eyes flashing as she demanded his obedience. “Don’t worry. Anything you can’t get past the chain I’ll cut off. You won’t be needing these clothes again, because they smell of _Him!”_

Shaking, Blair complied as best he could, knowing that it was undoubtedly true, for a sentinel-sensitive sense of smell anyhow. He was wearing a set of Jim’s old sweats that had shrunk in the wash, but still managed to swamp him. It occurred to him as he struggled to kick off the sweat bottoms, that he had felt really warm and comfortable in the old clothes, possibly because it had seemed to his subconscious like he was being hugged by the man himself. And how sad it was that only now could he appreciate the notion. 

Pulling the sweater off one arm and over his head, he watched sadly as Alex took a sharp pair of scissors and sliced down the sleeve still covering his chained arm, throwing the ruined garment away from her with a grimace of distaste. 

“All of it, Pet,” she smirked as he sat there in boxers and undershirt. “You don’t need to hide anything from me. I’ve seen it all before, remember!” 

With a heavy sigh, Blair pulled his undershirt over his head, watching as Alex did a repeat performance with the scissors. This time, however, she didn’t discard the garment, but held it to her nose, breathing deeply as a slow smile crept across her face. “Not quite pure, unadulterated guide,” she purred, “But close enough to satisfy my senses until we are truly bonded. The boxers too!” And when Blair kicked those off, she kept them also, grinning smugly as he blushed to his hairline in shame. He had to struggle hard not to cover his genitals with his hands, knowing that it would amuse her intensely, but it was almost impossible to assume an air of nonchalance, and she knew it. 

“I’m going to leave you alone for a while now so I can prepare myself for our bonding,” she murmured seductively as she reached out to caress his cheek. “When I come back, we’ll take care of your toilette first, then we’ll do what is necessary. Don’t worry that I’ll be too demanding of you sexually once we’re truly bonded, because cute as you are, I prefer a more muscular type – rather like your detective, in fact. And there’s a thought! Perhaps he’ll be susceptible to my charms too, but only as a one-off! I shall have to kill him, you see. I can’t allow him to try and take my guide from me. You’ll be mine, and mine alone!” 

Laughing in wicked amusement at his automatic frown of fury and denial, she moved swiftly, and before he had even registered it, she had him on his back and had cuffed his other hand to the bedhead. Gazing down at him, she ran her hand possessively down his chest, tweaking a nipple before patting his belly almost affectionately. “Don’t worry, my Pet. It won’t be as hard as the last time, I promise! I’ve taken precautions, you see, just in case you’re as stubborn as before!” and she cast a sideways glance at the bottles and vials laid out on the nightstand beside a many-thonged flogger. “It’s up to you which method of persuasion you prefer, although for myself, I should quite like it if you chose a little pain. I’ll leave you now to consider your options. See you later, my Pet!” And with that, she blew him a kiss as she gathered up his underwear and waltzed from the room, humming to herself in happy anticipation. 

Blair took several ragged breaths as he tried to contain his urge to cry. He didn’t want to give her the satisfaction, but it was so hard. And despite his best efforts, one or two stray tears leaked from the corners of his eyes to drip onto the thin mattress beneath him. Peering over at the nightstand, he guessed that the bottles and vials contained stimulants of some sort, so that when she tried to use his body against him, this time she might well succeed. It wasn’t to be borne, and he was determined to do something – anything – to prevent it. 

_Dammit!_ he thought. _If I really was a shaman, I could try a spirit walk. At least I could warn Jim about her intentions and tell him to keep away. But then, if we were bonded, we would be able to contact each other anyway, and he would be able to find me. It’s all my fault for being such a scaredy-cat. And now I have to suffer for my stupidity. But I really do need to warn Jim, so perhaps it’s worth a try._

He had had many years of practice in meditation, so he concentrated on trying to relax and find his centre. Naomi had taught him well, so the first stages were reached fairly easily despite the fraught circumstances. However, in order to go deeper he had to work much harder, and it was only after long minutes he was able to truly let go of his consciousness and fly. And once he was free, he was amazed at how easy and familiar it seemed; almost as if he was born to it. 

And perhaps he was, but had denied it for so long that he didn’t think it possible. 

For a moment, he saw himself on the bed, eyes closed and breathing evenly, then his spirit flew out of the room and over the house, seeing the approach and the surrounding area in detail as he soared high above. Within seconds it seemed that he was over Cascade, and zooming in on Simon Banks’ office where he knew his sentinel would be. 

And there he was, stalking up and down like the predatory cat that was his spirit animal. And lo and behold, Spirit Blair could clearly see Jim’s big black jaguar pacing alongside him, growling in irritation as he was ignored by his closed-minded sentinel. 

Suddenly, the cat looked up and directly into Spirit Blair’s eyes, and it seemed to Blair that he was transformed into another shape. A wolf? He was a wolf? Cool! Perhaps there was hope after all, and when his gaze met and locked with the jag’s, both animals seemed to know exactly how to connect. 

_Tell him! Tell him what you know!_ he heard the big cat growl. _I will! If only he’ll hear me!_ he replied. 

_You are shaman. He will hear!_ And the jag faded from view as Blair/Wolf howled out loud. 

Jim stopped in his tracks and stared around him, his face creased in consternation. And even as Simon demanded just what was going on, his head tilted as he listened to what his guide was telling him. And he knew it for the truth. 

“I know where Blair is!” he gasped out, his expression a mix of exultation and fear on behalf of his missing friend. “Barnes has him in a cabin in the Cascade National Forest. I’m going after him!” 

Simon stared incredulously at him for a moment. “What do you mean, Jim? _How_ do you know?” 

“More sentinel voodoo shit, boss,” Jim replied with a grim smile. “But whether you believe me or not, I’m going!” 

Megan and Joel were also present, and exchanging a look, they both rose to their feet. “We’re going too, Jim,” Megan said, speaking for both of them. “You’ll need backup, and we need to get Sandy back safe and sound.” 

Throwing up his hands in defeat, Simon growled, “Fine! Fine! So we’re all going. But who’s directing us?” 

“Me and my shadow,” Jim chuckled sardonically, already heading for the door. He didn’t know how Blair had managed it, but he was absolutely certain that the young man had discovered the way to link them even without the bond. He truly was a shaman, and a powerful one at that. Who knew?  


\---------------------------------  


Shortly afterwards; with an intense and focussed Jim sitting in the passenger seat of Simon’s sedan, because there was no way the captain was going to let him drive; they were leaving Cascade city limits and speeding towards the National Forest as quickly as Simon was prepared to go within the legal limits. It wasn’t fast enough for Jim, but then again, he was concentrating on his guides. Because now his mind was opened to them, he could see glimpses of both his black jaguar spirit guide and a beautiful silver timber wolf. A wolf with Blair’s blue eyes, and he knew for sure that the creature belonged to his friend and guide. 

Because Blair truly was his guide – or at least, guide-to-be. There was no doubt at all in Jim’s mind. All he needed to do now was rescue Blair from that mad bitch’s clutches, and they would bond. It was meant to be. It _had_ to be! She couldn’t be allowed to hurt him or even worse, force a bond on him first. 

As he drove, Simon glanced in the rear view mirror, checking that Megan and Joel were still with them. He couldn’t believe that he was following directions dictated to his subordinate by invisible spirit animals, but yet he was doing just that, according to the stern and utterly confident sentinel at his side. Time enough later to try and come to terms with that outlandish concept once they had Sandburg back safe and sound. For now he’d just do his best to suspend his disbelief and concentrate on the task ahead. 

As they sped on into the National Forest, Jim suddenly stiffened even more, and a feral growl rumbled in his chest. He had just seen the spotted jaguar that had to be Barnes’ spirit guide, apparently stalking the silver wolf. Although the black jag was snarling and hissing at it, it didn’t seem to be at all distracted, and Jim knew that Barnes must be hurting his guide, or was about to. 

“This way, Simon, fast as you can!” he snapped, pointing to a dirt road coming up quickly on their right. “It’s down here! Not far now.” He could clearly see all three spirit guides turning up ahead of them before disappearing once more, and he knew they were getting close. His body thrummed with impatient anticipation as he readied himself for the upcoming contest. Only one sentinel would have the honour of claiming Blair, and he was going to make sure it was him.  


\---------------------------------  


**Meanwhile, back in the cabin:**  


Spirit Blair looked down in joy and relief as the two vehicles carrying his rescue party closed in on the cabin. He could almost feel Jim’s determination as the sentinel concentrated his mind on receiving the information the spirit guides were feeding him, and he couldn’t have been more proud of his friend for overcoming his habitual cynicism for Blair’s sake. _Soon, Jim, soon!_ he thought, his hopes rising as the small convoy drew ever nearer. 

However, a sudden, invisible force seemed to strike him hard, and he slammed back into his body with a sickening thud, his eyes flashing open in bewilderment and terror as he sought the reason for his precipitous return. Appearing beside the bed, her face twisted in maniacal fury, Alex leaned down and shook him by the shoulders like a terrier shaking a rat. 

“What are you doing? How _dare_ you, you little traitor! How could you defy me like that? You shouldn’t be able to _do_ such a thing without a bond!” 

Although desperately frightened, Blair had no intention of backing down now, because whatever happened to him, Jim was on his way, and Barnes’ days on the run were numbered. 

“I can do it because I’m a shaman,” he replied as steadily as he could. “I never truly believed it before, but if it helps me to defeat you, then I’m glad my powers have manifested now. I’m not just a bone to be fought over by two alpha dog sentinels. I have power of my own, and as far as you’re concerned, the dynamics of sentinel and guide bonding have changed completely.” 

Plainly incensed even more by his bravado, Alex screamed in rage, grabbing the flogger off the nightstand. “You little shit!” she snarled. “Let’s see how you like _this!”_ and she raised her arm and brought the lash down across his naked belly. Crying out involuntarily in shock and pain, Blair did his best to protect himself, twisting to his side and curling up as best he could, and burying his face in his upper arm. Alex continued to lash him in a mad frenzy, finally dropping the flogger and reaching down to grab a handful of hair. Pulling back her arm, she punched him hard on the side of the head, and that cruel blow, following so soon after his previous injury, was enough to knock him out cold, and he knew no more. 

He never witnessed the arrival of his vengeful friend, who barged into the bedroom like a harbinger of doom, every bit as predatory and lethal as his black jaguar spirit guide. Neither did he see Alex turn at bay, equally lethal as she threw herself at the intruder, screaming like a banshee as she clawed for his eyes. Locked together, they rolled on the floor, wrestling for dominance and not even noticing when Simon appeared at the door, gun in hand as he stared open-mouthed at the terrible spectacle before him. 

This was no ordinary fight – this was two powerful primal sentinels engaged in mortal combat for the glory of claiming the guide, and there could be only one winner. Even as Megan and Joel pressed up against Simon’s back, peering around his bulk to see for themselves what was going on, Jim managed to tighten his hold on the struggling female sentinel, and with a final effort, he snapped her neck. 

Breathing heavily, he dropped her already cooling body unceremoniously to the floor, and closed in on the bed, intent on getting to his injured friend. As the fighting rage dissipated, his normal self resurfaced, and he sank to his knees beside the bed. His expression became tragic as he gently stroked the dishevelled curls away from Blair’s brow, and he murmured brokenly, “Oh, Chief! What has she done to you?” 

Swallowing hard, and barely aware of his friends moving up to join him, he carefully unlocked the cuffs attaching Blair’s wrists to the chains, rearranging the young man’s body into a more comfortable position. However, all of them were shocked at the damage wreaked by the flogger, the raised and bloodied welts seeming to cover every inch of exposed skin. 

But what was most worrying was Blair’s unconsciousness, which Jim had already ascertained as arising from a heavy blow to the temple. 

“What is it, Jim?” Simon asked, his voice uncharacteristically quiet and gentle as he looked at the battered body on the bed, nothing but sympathy in his expression. “Is it more than just the whipping, as if that wasn’t bad enough?” 

Nodding wordlessly, Jim looked up to meet his friend’s worried gaze, his own eyes shiny with unshed tears as he croaked out, “She hit him, Simon. Punched him on the side of the head. I can see the mark of her fist. It must have been hard, Simon. Hard enough to knock him out cold; and who knows how much further damage that might have done on top of his last injury? I’m just praying that it won’t be anything permanent.” 

“Amen to that, son,” murmured Joel, his kindly face creased in sorrow for a young man who had already made such a good impression on him. 

“I called for an ambulance on the way here,” Megan added in hushed tones, her cheeks wet with tears as she watched Jim carefully cover Blair’s nakedness with a thin blanket. “Poor little bugger! I wish I could kill the bitch again for hurting him like that!” 

“You and me both,” Jim replied, never taking his eyes off his guide. “But perhaps once was enough after all. And if I have to serve time for it, I’d still do it again.” 

“Don’t let’s think about that for now, Jim,” Simon said, clasping Jim’s shoulder briefly. “Once we know that Blair’s in good hands we can worry about your actions, OK? And by the looks of things, I suspect you can hear the ambulance coming?” he added, watching Jim’s head tilt as the sentinel’s eyes took on a faraway look. 

“Yeah, Simon. Actually, they’ve sent an Air Ambulance, so he’ll be treated that much quicker. And let’s hope it’ll be soon enough.”  



	5. Prompt - Simple pleasures

**Chapter 5: Prompt – Simple Pleasure:**   


**Three weeks later, the loft:**  


Lying comfortably on his back in the big bed upstairs, Jim smiled to himself, feeling more relaxed than he had for many a day. His soul felt at peace with itself for once; untroubled by pain or uncertainty; and the reason for that was surely the young man who presently slept in his arms. For sure, there were plenty of minor considerations and problems facing both of them, but nothing that they couldn’t cope with now they were together in all ways. Jim’s smile widened and his expression was one of pure love and contentment as he peered down at the curly head resting on his chest. 

Blair was snuggled up against him and tucked securely beneath his arm, his cheek pressed to Jim’s well-defined pectoral muscle and with an arm wrapped possessively around the sentinel’s waist. Their legs were tangled together and Jim’s free hand stroked the soft skin of Blair’s back and shoulder, enjoying the sensation and the gift of being able to indulge himself freely at last with his guide’s full consent. However, that gift did have a downside insofar as Jim’s gentle touch easily traced the many imperfections that still marred the guide’s beautiful body, and probably always would. Although the welts and bruises from Barnes’ flogger had healed well, and most of the scarring should fade from normal sight in time, sentinel sight would always discern the evidence of her brutality. Not that Jim would ever mention such a thing to Blair, who was body-conscious enough as it was. Blair was truly beautiful both inside and out in Jim’s eyes, and he felt no embarrassment in telling his guide as much and as often as he could. 

His contentment disrupted for the moment, a small frown appeared between his brows as his careful fingers parted Blair’s curls to reveal the patch where bristly regrowth was gradually covering the scar from Barstow’s blow. Sentinel sight could easily make out the traces left behind by the stitches, but at least Blair’s silky locks could cover the area until the hair grew out fully. 

Seeing the scar naturally led to thoughts of Blair’s most recent attack, and Jim couldn’t help but dwell on the cruelty his beloved had endured for no other reason than because of his inherent talent as a shaman guide. Barstow’s attack had been down to greed, with a side order of misplaced hatred for a man whose ethical beliefs he had come to despise in his drug-addled mind. 

But Barnes had wanted Blair simply for what he could do for her. Not because she desired him physically; although the young man was undeniably attractive, and sex with him certainly wouldn’t have been a chore; but because she wanted to use his power to benefit herself in her criminal activities. It didn’t bear thinking of how Blair would have suffered if she had managed to force a bond with him, so Jim tried not to go down that route. As Blair had explained to him lovingly only that night; it hadn’t happened; they were together as they were meant to be, and he couldn’t have been happier. 

But Jim knew that it might well not have turned out that way. After Blair had been rushed to Cascade General Hospital yet again, Jim had been terrified that the second blow might have caused real brain damage this time. Although once again there had been no fracture, Blair had remained deeply unconscious most of the time for several days after his admission, and when he did rouse a little, seemed very disorientated and confused. It was on the fourth day of Jim’s second bedside vigil that the amazing blue eyes had opened, lucid once again and immediately seeking Jim’s face. 

Certainly Blair hadn’t instantly recovered, and he still suffered from occasional headaches, but all in all he had been extremely lucky, according to his doctors. And neither man was going to admit to the ‘conversations’ their spirit animals had indulged in while Blair slept. That was a sentinel-guide-shaman thing that was theirs and theirs alone. 

And then the day had arrived when Blair had finally been discharged; barely a week ago, in fact; and he had returned to the loft and this time, to Jim’s bed. Not that he’d been up to doing anything right away, being still too sore and shaky, but Jim hadn’t complained. It was enough that Blair was in his arms at last, with the promise of great things to come. Claiming the time as the bonding leave to which he was entitled, Jim had spent the days caring for his soon-to-be guide and lover, thoroughly enjoying spoiling the younger man even though Blair did complain some, not being used to such pampering. But it had given them ample time to talk and really get to know each other. Time well spent as they made their plans for the future together. 

Blair had confessed that although he still wanted to do some teaching, he had realised that his place was at Jim’s side where they could work together for the good of the tribe. As a sentinel and guide pair, their contribution to society was so much greater than either man could offer as an individual, and Blair now viewed Naomi’s negative opinions on that score as incredibly self-centred. Their proposed solution was for Blair to apply to the PD for a position as a consultant, prepared to work with whoever might need his expertise, but always available to partner his sentinel in the field. He would also be prepared to teach a few classes as required by Rainier; something that his Head of Department was very happy with, even if Chancellor Edwards was not. 

Jim grinned again as he recalled the day when Simon had dropped by the loft to check on Blair’s progress and to test the waters as regards their plans. The big captain had looked positively sheepish when he apologised to Blair for his previous attitude, greatly relieved and grateful for the young man’s innate generosity of spirit when Blair immediately forgave him. 

“It’s OK, Captain. I did realise why you were so keen to get me on board, and I wasn’t trying to be deliberately selfish. I didn’t appreciate it then for sure, but I think you probably understand now why I was so upset. And scared,” and this time it was his turn to blush. Not that Jim was having any of that, and he had immediately pulled the smaller man in for a hug, uncaring of what Simon might make of it. 

However, Simon had surprised them both when he simply smiled and accepted the demonstration with remarkable aplomb. 

“It’s OK, guys,” he chuckled. “I’ve seen the errors of my ways as far as sentinel and guide PDAs are concerned. That is, my son Daryl has lectured me at great length on the subject, and on the subject of tolerance in all its forms too. And I can’t begin to tell you how embarrassing _that_ was! I only ask that you don’t act inappropriately in the workplace – not that I think you would, but I’m just saying, because even now there are those who still find the whole concept of the full bond unappetising to say the least, particularly in same-sex couples. 

“But I realise now that it’s nothing but a blessing as far as I’m concerned. Yes, MCU will benefit even more than before, but it’s not just that. _I_ shall benefit from having two very special people on my team. People I should like to think of as friends more than subordinates.” 

He had been rewarded with a full-on beaming smile from Blair, whose pleasure and relief was clear to see. And who had been even more pleased and grateful when Simon had confirmed that there was to be no backlash for Jim following the death of Alex Barnes. Jim was considered to have been acting in self-defence and in defence of his guide, and the fact that it had been witnessed by no less than three other senior detectives meant that a ‘Not Guilty’ decision on the charge of Unlawful Killing was a foregone conclusion. Sentinel justice indeed. 

Jim’s smile was softly reminiscent now as he thought about that evening. After Simon had left, Blair had turned to him and whispered almost shyly, “I think I’m ready now, Jim. I’m still not up to major gymnastics, but I’d like to do more than just cuddling. If you want to, that is…” 

And Jim’s joy had known no bounds as he had carefully enfolded the smaller man in his arms. “Oh, baby! Do I want to? You bet I do, Sweetheart. And I promise I won’t do any more than you can bear. Come to bed, babe?” 

And they had. And neither man had been disappointed when they had finally made love. 

As a sentinel Jim had never had any problem with the concept of same-sex bonding, since it was a fact of life that compatible guides weren’t necessarily of the opposite sex. Consequently, he had indulged on occasion, especially in the army in situations when there was a dearth of willing women. But although Blair was open-minded on the subject, having been brought up to believe that it was the person not the package that was important, he hadn’t actually had any experience with male/male sex, diffidently explaining that it was a matter or trust more than anything. He had always been wary of the possibility of being overpowered and hurt by another man, and besides which, he loved women too, and loved making love to them. 

Jim closed his eyes and concentrated on re-living every moment of their bonding, a satisfied smile lighting his face.  


\--------------------------------  


When the pair had made it up to the big bedroom, Jim had wasted no time in undressing Blair, his love and compassion evident in every movement and gesture. Blair had been conspicuously nervous despite their having shared the same bed for several nights, because this time he knew that something truly momentous was about to happen. As long as he was able to reciprocate, that was. 

But after carefully placing a delightfully naked Blair on their bed, Jim had used the utmost care and patience while imprinting the compact body in the most minute detail yet, thrilled and humbled at Blair’s courage as every inch of skin was tasted, sniffed and enjoyed by his sentinel-to-be. 

Knowing that it wouldn’t be fair to expect Blair to accept full penetration yet, Jim had concentrated instead on bringing them both to climax by touch alone, amazed and grateful that, despite his inexperience, Blair reciprocated eagerly and most effectively in kind. 

And when they had climaxed almost together, they had shared the most mind-blowing vision. Their spirit animals had appeared to them in a blue-tinted jungle, running at full speed towards each other to leap and merge in a glorious flash of light and understanding. The bond was set, and they would be bound together forevermore. 

Since then, they had made love every night, although still without penetration. Blair needed time to heal properly, and Jim was in no hurry. When Blair was ready, they would do the deed, and he eagerly looked forward to having Blair take him to complete the circle. He grinned happily as he thought about their immediate plans for tomorrow, the thrill of anticipation enough to dispel the last of his darker thoughts. 

For tomorrow morning they were setting off to spend the last few days of their leave in Joel’s comfortable lakeside cabin in the National Park. To be sure, Jim knew now that Blair was happy with camping out under canvas, and they would undoubtedly be doing plenty of that in the future, but at present a little luxury was called for. 

Not that it would impinge on both their desires to indulge in a few simple pleasures like hiking, fishing and lovemaking; just the two of them enjoying each other’s company in peaceful surroundings. A few days to themselves were just the ticket as they prepared for their new lives together. 

Sentinel and shaman guide. Tribal protectors forever.  


**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that completes another card. :)
> 
> K x


End file.
